Born from Darkness
by Lain Mikado
Summary: Someone else is trapped in 'The World', along with Tsukasa. She can't log out, she's stuck there. And what is this virus that is attacking players? HEY I GOT AN AUTHORS NOTE UP! READ PLEASE!
1. Enter the World

Disclaimer: I do not own .hack//SIGN or any of the characters from it. I only own my own character Lain Auska X and my ideas.

.hack//SIGN

Chapter one: Enter the World

Saga: Born from Darkness

A young girl around the age of sixteen looked around in the video game she had just logged on too. She was in a town called Fayon. The game she was playing was called 'The World'. She had gotten the game from her birthday, which happened to be today. 

She had spent an hours trying to download the game into her computer.  When the game had finally uploaded right she spent another hour customizing her character to make it just how she wanted. Unfortunately they only had half of what she wanted her character to look like, so she spent another hour hacking until she was satisfied with her character. 

Her own character for the RPG's name was Lain Auska X. Her weapon was a five-foot long katana. She had pitch-black hair that was very short. It curved around her face a little. It was only as long as the side of her face. Her hair was also parted a little off to the side so you could only see one of her eyes and a quarter of the other. Her eyes were a sad blue. Her skin was very pale which gave her the look that she didn't get out in the sun much. Her clothes consisted of a plain black short sleeve baggy shirt. Along with the shirt she had on a pair of one size to big levi jeans. The jeans were being held up by, a three-rowed studded belt. It wasn't very visible. Her shoes were actually steel-toed boots. Around her arms and legs she had assorted miniature black belts. The belts gave off how skinny she was. And finally she had a plain black leather sheath on her back the held her five foot long sword.

Lain was still looking around her surroundings for the man she was supposed to meet up with. But she saw no one. But maybe she had looked past him? He never told her what he looked like or his name. She was only told the meeting spot. At the chaos gates. 

Well she was standing there now, a little impatient, but she was there! Waiting for him. Lain tapped her foot on the ground still impatient but somehow managed not to turn around and just log off. Who ever this guy was. He was late. And besides she needed him to teach her how to use the game. She didn't want to just wander off into some unknown field and just get herself killed. 

A minute went by and then she sighed and threw her hands up in the air. "I'm leaving!" Lain yelled out to herself. As she was about to log off she saw a man running up to her. Was he the one that was supposed to teach her about the game?

He had brown hair and brown eyes. He was also a swordsman with a  sword at his side. He wasn't wearing a shirt, which showed the colors that he had on. It looked like a cross was on his chest and face. The outline was white and half of the cross on the outside of the outline was blue. He had on golden boots that went up to his knees, she guessed it was some type of armor. Around his waist he had on a brown loincloth that sort of resembled a plain brown kilt.  

He finally slowed down when he was right in front of her. He was breathing heavily as he tried to catch his breath. This game had pretty good effects. Like real life.

"I'm sorry I'm late," he said straightening up. "I was sort of tied up at the moment."

"Oh," Lain replied putting her hands on her hips and then sighed. "That's alright. Just as long as you showed up."

He grinned at her. "My name is Bear," Bear said to her. "I guess I'm the one you asked to show you around 'The World'?"

"Yep," Lain said nodding her head. "And my name is Lain."

"Okay Lain," Bear said. He looked at what she was wearing and then frowned. "You don't look much like a swordsman. You have no armor on."

"I didn't like it," Lain replied sighing. "I had to go through so much to get this. I'm not changing anything now!"

"Never said you had too," Bear replied to her. "You do know how to get into fields right?"

"Yep," Lain said nodding. "The only I don't understand is the battle system."

"Well then," Bear said crossing his arms. "The best thing we can do is put you in a real battle!"

"Huh?" Lain said looking at his a little confused. "I just started this! What happens if I die?!"

"You won't don't worry!" Bear replied still grinning at her. "I'm experienced enough to keep you alive."

"Good!" Lain cried out happily jumping in the air. "Lets get a move on!" 

Bear sighed at her and then they both disappeared onto another serer. As they reappeared they were in a dungeon. Lain looked around and grinned. Bear looked back at her a little confused and then had a worried look on his face.

"We shouldn't be in a dungeon yet," Bear told her. "Your not experienced enough. You're sure to get disconnected here. The monsters in this area are tough. I even have trouble with them!"

"I'm here though!" Lain cried out as she pulled out her sword form it's sheath. "I mean how hard could it be?"

Before Bear had a chance to answer Lain had began to charge down the hallway with her sword in front of her shouting, 'come and get me!'. He sighed and then chased after her.

"You should save first!" Bear called out to her. He kept running but he couldn't see her. The torches all seemed to be going out for some reason. He stopped running and then started to get nervous. "Lain! We should leave now. Something is wrong." 

He didn't get an answer so he began to walk down the hallway again. As he rounded a corner he saw Lain engaged in a battle with something he couldn't see. She was swinging her sword around but seemed to be missing because of her cries of frustration.

"What are you doing Lain!?" Bear said calling out to her.

"Run!" Lain screamed at him. "This player! She's a virus!"

"What?" Bear said looking confused. Lain had dropped her guard as she had called out to Bear. She screamed out as if she was in pain as something went right though her middle. She dropped to the floor. Something red was coming out of her. Could it be possible? Was she bleeding? No it couldn't be! This was a game! Nothing like this could happen! 

"Get out of here," Lain said weakly to him. She dropped down into her puddle of blood. 

She still seemed to be breathing. He was about to run towards her but something stopped him. A shield of some kind? He couldn't see it but as soon as he touched it blue sparks shot out. He backed away from it and saw that something on the other side was trying franticly to get though. Blue sparks were shooting everywhere. 

What was going on!? Could she be speaking the truth that something was in there!? How could this be possible!? Players couldn't die! This was all just a game! What is going on!? 

Bear took one last look at her and then began to run with all of his might down the hallway and then exited the dungeon.

-A girl by the name of Lain Auska X went into a coma. Her parents found her bleeding to death at her computer on the day of her birthday. She had just been playing her new video game. "The World".  She is now being hospitalized, we do not know weather or not she will wake from her coma. How could this have happened?

--Zero Kusanagi

Please review! I want to know what you think!!!!


	2. Return of the Supposedly Dead

Disclaimer: I do not own .hack//SIGN or any of it characters. I do own my character Lain Auska X and my thoughts.

.hack//SIGN

Episode Two: Return on the Supposedly Dead

Saga: Born from Darkness

       Lain opened her eyes and looked around the new area she seemed to be in. She shot up from the ground in shock. She was in a dungeon before, with that man. Who was he? She couldn't remember anymore. She tried to think more about what he looked like and what his name was, but all that ended up with was a headache. Wait? Wasn't she dieing in a dungeon too? Or was this all a dream? She looked down at her stomach and saw nothing. No blood. Nothing.

"It must have been a dream…?" Lain said laughing it off. She was still extremely nervous. She couldn't remember what had happened a few hours ago. All she could remember was that she was in a dungeon, she was fighting with a virus, got stabbed in the stomach, was supposedly dead, and then ended up here. But how could this have happened? 

Lain shock her head in anger and then sighed. "What's going on?" Lain asked herself. "I don't remember anything. I don't know how this could have happened. Ah! This is just so frustrating!" She threw her hands down at her sides and then sighed again. She slumped down to the ground and then fell down so she was lying on her back. "I just want to remember what happened. The whole thing. I only remember fragments. I need to run into the character again. Maybe he could help me…?" She sighed again and then closed her eyes. "What am I to do now?"

"I have an idea!" someone shouted out to her. This person was near and its voice was quite annoying.

Lain opened her eyes and almost screamed out in fright because this person as standing right in front of her. He had green hair that was tied back with a piece of black cloth. He had long black gloves on and what seemed to be his weapon were long knives inserted in his gloves. He had three brown belts around his middle. The rest of his clothes consisted of something that looked like a black jump suit. His shoes were actually black boots. They had a platform thing that was only half an inch tall on the bottom.

He looked down at her and smiled a little evilly. Lain got uncomfortable and then backed up a little. After she was a good five feet away from him she stood up from the ground. She looked at him and then put her hands on her hips and sighed so hugely that he thought he was being insulted. 

"What did I do?" he asked getting annoyed at her. "I just wanted to go into a dungeon with you. Nothing more. Just a quest? Or no? Or maybe yes?"

"What?" Lain asked yawning at him. She stretched and then grinned at him. "Who are you?"

"Who are you?" he asked ignoring her statement.

"Lain," Lain replied too him. "And you?"

"Sora," Sora replied with a silly smile. "So how about it? Will you go into a dungeon with me?"

"Sorry," Lain replied backing up away from him. "But I have to decline. I haven't really had all that much good luck with dungeons so far. Maybe another time?"

Sora looked at her sadly and then walked a few steps closer to her. "Well if you won't go into a dungeon with me," Sora began and then paused at Lain's confused look. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know," Lain replied. "I've only just started this game. I want to get a look around the serves. I got killed and then I left my guide that was supposed to be showing me around this place."

"What if I said I could be your guide?" Sora asked still grinning at her. "Would you accept?"

"Probably not," Lain replied closing her eyes and then turned her back to him. She began walking in the opposite direction of Sora who was now starting to get really aggravated with her. She opened her eyes and then waved over her should at him. "Maybe I'll see you around?"

"Or not," Sora said. His tone was totally different now. He sounded mad. "What is your problem? You've just declined something your going to regret. What was it that you said again? You're a rookie? Well first lesson rookie. You don't decline anything from Sora. That is unless you're looking for a fight."

"What?" Lain said turning around. As soon as she turned around she saw Sora fling the knives further out of his gloves. He charged at Lain who whipped out her sword immediately and blocked his attack. "Look I'm fine! I don't need a guide! Maybe another time!? Not now though!"

"Stop talking and fight!" Sora yelled at her. He charged again this time throwing his weapon at her face. It stopped inches. She looked at it and then noticed he had only on hand in her face. Where was the other!? She got her answer a second latter as she felt a pain go through her arm. 

Lain screamed out in pain. She dropped her sword and then fell to her knees. Her hand that had been clutching the sword flew to her arm, which was now bleeding. Blood was coming out of her wound fast. Soon it was all over the ground in front of her and all over her hand.

"What!?" Sora yelled out in surprise. "The message boards didn't say anything about this. Players aren't supposed to bleed. This is just a game. This isn't real!"

"What the hell was that for!?" Lain screamed at Sora madly. "Just because I declined your offer doesn't mean you have to get all hostile on me! I didn't do anything!" Lain got up from the ground. Her cut had disappeared and blood was no longer flowing. 

"How did you do that?" Sora asking in surprise. 

"What bleed or heal?" Lain asked him annoyed now.

"Both," Sora replied looking fascinated. "How?"

"I don't know why I'm bleeding," Lain replied to him. "If players can't bleed then there must be some sort of glitch. But along with the blood I can fell pain. Lots of it. I healed my but because I did a heal of a lot of hacking before I entered this game. I made myself able to recover faster than normal. I guess I have become immortal if not wounded to bad. That is if I don't bleed to death. I have to lose so much blood before I won't be able to do that."

"Interesting," Sora replied. He grinned at her and then rested his chin on his hand, which was now in a first. "I bet Subaru would want to know about this. A player such as yourself. I bet your better than little Tsukasa." His grin turned from interesting to an evil one as it had once done before. 

"Who are they?" Lain asked backing up away from Sora. Her face was now showing fear. Who ever these people were she wasn't too sure she wanted to meet them. She gulped and continued backing up until Sora seemed to have gotten out of the thought he had just put himself in. 

"There coming for you now," Sora replied. "Subaru and the Crimson Knights will be here soon for you."

"What!?" Lain yelled out. "I didn't do anything!? What did I do! I haven't committed a crime! Just leave me alone!" Lain had now figured out by now that Subaru and the Crimson Knights must be the ones who keep this game balanced. "Go away!" Lain turned her back to Sora and begun to run off but crashed into something hard. She fell to the ground instantly. She better not have crashed into a rock. She hadn't though. As she looked up she could see who what she guessed were the Crimson Knights.

"Is this her Sora?" someone said though the mass of knights. The person steeped forward to revel a girl. She had aqua blue hair, blue eyes and was carrying a huge battle-axe. "What is your name?"

"Lain," Lain replied backing away from the character that was in front of her. She got up from the ground and dusted herself off. "Why are you here?"

"Sora has informed us that you seem to be immortal?" Subaru said. "That is a restriction form this game. You will either have to remove this status from your character or be deleted from the game. Which includes that you will have to start over."

"This includes that I have to log off to do this?" Lain asked. Subaru nodded her head at Lain. "As soon as I re-enter can I go off on my own business again?"

"Yes," Subaru replied. "But if you re-enter and you still have that status you will be deleted instantly."

"Okay," Lain replied. "I will do as you say. But before I do. Can you answer one question for me?"

"Lady Subaru has no time to answer questions from lower players like yourself!" the knight in front of Lain said. She could see his face because like the rest of his body he was covered in armor. 

"Silver Knight!" Subaru yelled out angrily. "I believe I will be the one who decides that?"

"Yes Lady Subaru," Silver Knight replied to her. He bowed to her. "Forgive me."

"You are forgiven," Subaru replied. "Lain is it? What will be your question?"

"Thank you," Lain replied looking thankful at Subaru's decision to answer her question. "Why can't I have this status?"

"I thought you were going to ask that," Subaru replied with a faint smile on her face. "If you have that status then everyone in the game will incline that they should have that status also. If everyone in the game did then how would we be able to set the balance? If the balance is corrupted then this game will just be chaos. Everything would be destroyed."

"Oh," Lain replied. "I guess I get it now…I'm going to log off now." A minute passed and Lain was still standing before the group of people who had surprised looks on their faces that she was still there.

"I thought you said you were leaving?" Sora asked Lain looking confused. "You did say that didn't you?"

"I did!" Lain shouted out. Her face turned from confused to instant fear. "I don't know what's happening! I can't log off! Something not letting me! I can't leave!"

"What!?" the knights and Subaru cried out. Sora had a wicked smile plastered on his face as Lain had finished talking.

"Can it be?" Sora asked looking now a little shocked. "Can she have the same case as little Tsukasa? Can you also be trapped in this game?"

"No that can't be possible," Subaru said. She had fear on her face along with Lain. "This can't have happened again! If it truly has…how could it have!?"

"I-I-I don't know!" Lain cried out. She fell to her knees. She couldn't believe this. She herself was suck in this game. Did it have to do with something that had accrued in the dungeon?

"Is there anything else that has happened here that shouldn't have happened?" Subaru asked Lain. She still had a fearful expression but seemed to be getting over it.

"I can bleed," Lain said. She got up from the ground. If she was trapped in this game and could bleed…what would happen if she died in the game? Would she be dead in the real world? "I can bleed as if this game were so real for me. What…what if I died here!? Would I be dead in the real world!?"

Everyone around her seemed to have not thought about this because they gasped at what she had said. "And another thing," Lain said getting up from the ground once more. She walked over to her sword and pulled it out of the ground. She re-sheathed it and looked over to the players. "Who is this Tsukasa you all keep talking about!?"

"Maybe," Subaru said. She paused after she said this because she went into a deep thought. "Maybe I could take you to Tsukasa. We have him presently captured at the moment. Yes, I see no harm in this. Come Lain. I will take you to Tsukasa."

After Subaru had finished talking she disconnected everyone from the server they were presently on (well all besides Sora who was token back that we wasn't allowed to go with them) and connected them to a dungeon that was being heavily guarded by more of the Crimson Knights. 

"Lady Subaru," the knights all said bowing to her. "What is it that you wish to do here?"

"I have come to put Lain in with Tsukasa from now," Subaru said. "When she is done talking to him let her out of the cell. But leave Tsukasa in there. I still need to have a word with him."

"Yes Lady Subaru," the knight said closest to the cells door. After he had finished what he was saying he opened the door to the dungeon/cell and let Lain enter. As soon as Lain was inside of the dungeon/cell completely she heard the door shut behind her. She turned back and looked at it. She could see people though the bars at the top. She gulped at what she was about to do. She turned her head front and began to walk towards the boy that was sitting on the ground in a ball in front of her.

Please review. I want to know what you think!


	3. Rescuing Tsukasa

Disclaimer: I do not own .hack//SIGN or any of it's characters besides my own character Lain Auska X. Oh and great apologies for not updating for so long. I've been heak of busy...

.hack//SIGN     

Episode Three: Rescuing Tsukasa

Saga: Born from Darkness

                Lain looked at her surroundings in front of her. A teenage wave master boy was sitting, with his knees pulled up close to his face, his arms were wrapped around his knees. She couldn't see his face but she knew he was unhappy.                

                Surrounding the two of them, were four stonewalls. The  one behind Lain had a chamber door in the center. It was made out of a hard type of wood. The only light that was given was by the single torch, it was placed to her left on the chamber wall.

                Lain gulped as she took a steep forward to get closer to the boy. "Are you Tsukasa? The player who can not log out?"

                He looked up at Lain to see her face. He wasn't smiling at her. In fact he wasn't showing any emotion at all. He then gave his short answer. "Yes."

                Lain sighed with relief. At least Subaru was right in telling her that this boy was Tsukasa. "So it is true that you are stuck in this game also?" Lain asked him this and then walked over closer to him. She was only a few inches away.

                "Yes," Tsukasa said again. HE seemed a little twitchy when Lain walked closer. Was he scared of her? "What do you mean but also?"

"IT is said that I can't log out either," Lain replied gravely to him. "But I don't understand why."

"Your never coming out you know," Tsukasa said. HE looked back down at the ground to his right. "You shouldn't be all that grave about it though. At least you don't have to go back to that ludicrous world."

                "What?" Lain asked looking a little shocked and confused. "Ludicrous world? Are you talking about outside this game?! Do you know how I can exit?!"

                Tsukasa looked back up at her and then laughed quietly to himself. "Sorry but I don't. Even if I did I'm not sure that I would tell a stranger suck as yourself. You know my name, but I'm sorry to say that I don't know yours."

                "Lain," Lain replied. She smiled at him slightly and then looked over to the dungeons door. "Why are you here? You must have done something really bad to be guarded like this. And look! You don't even have your weapon! You can use magic without your weapon can't you?"

                "I'm not allowed too," Tsukasa told her. Fear had now spread across his face. As if something horrible was going to happen. He was now starring at her contempt. "They said that if I called for my guardian they would delete me. I wouldn't exist then! I didn't do anything! She betrayed me!"

                "Delete you?" Lain cried out ignoring everything else he had said. She clenched her fists in anger and looked down at him shocked. "But that means if your…you'll be…gone…?" She looked at the dungeon's door in anger at the two guards standing outside. "They can't do that. That's murder. It's just wrong." She looked at Tsukasa mournfully and held out her left hand to him. "I'm not going to let them do something like this to you. I'm getting you out of here at all costs."

                "What?" Tsukasa replied looking confused. "Why would you do that for me? You don't even know me."

                "Do too," Lain replied grinning. Tsukasa finally took her hand and stood up. HE had on a robe that was a tan color, outlined in a darker tan. It stopped five inched from his ankles. Under his robe he had on black pants that stopped two inched from his shoes. For shoes he had on a pair of strange leather boots. ON the back on his rode he had a tan hood also outlined in the darker tan. His hair was white and his eyes were a melancholy blue. His skin was pale and he wore a sad expression. "You are a level 50 character. Wave Master. Your weapon is a rod. You know black and white magic. I just looked up your file a second ago…no way! You killed all those players?! Deleted them all!? You're like a legend or something? How did you do that!?"

"I didn't!" Tsukasa yelled out. "It wasn't my fault! I didn't mean to! I tried to stop him! He wouldn't listen! I don't know what happened!" Tsukasa's expression changed from sad to horrify. He began to back up until he ran into the wall. "You should probably leave now."

"I told you before," Lain replied. "I'm going to help you. At any cost. No matter what. And you know? Maybe we could team up or something after this? If not then you can go off and do your own thing."

"You would still help me?" Tsukasa asked. "But you would be wanted by Subaru and the knights. You would be in trouble."

"If you don't know, I have this thing that sort of helps me be immortal. So I guess I'll always be fine. Unless… nah, won't happen. I'm on level 50! So I'll be fine!" Lain smiled at him and then gave him a victory sign. "You just stay here! I'll be back in a few minutes!"

"You don't-" Tsukasa began but stopped as she disappeared though the dungeons door. She is going to do something horrible. I know it. Why wouldn't she just leave me alone? She didn't have to do this for me. I didn't ask for help, all I wanted was to be left alone.

He sighed and then closed his eyes. They shot open a second latter when he heard the screams of the guards outside the door. She must have dought them. And won. After the screams it went quiet. What was she doing? Had she been hurt in the process? He walked towards the door and reached a hand over to push it open. But before he had made contact with the door it had opened to reveal Lain, with his weapon, his rod.

"I told you to wait!" Lain said looking a little disappointed. "Oh well, we got to hurry though. I managed to disconnect the guards and some others in the area. But it won't last for long. We have to hurry."

"Okay," Tsukasa replied unsure. He walked out of the dungeon and took his weapon, which Lain held out to him after she got his reply. He smiled a little, but was then jerked forwards when Lain grabbed his free hand and begun to drag him into a run.

"I don't know what's up ahead!" Lain called out to Tsukasa over her shoulder. "So there could be more fighting! You ready?!" Tsukasa nodded his head for a yes and Lain grinned. "Good!"

As they exited the hallway Lain stopped dead in her tracks and let out a sort of muffled scream. Tsukasa ran into her slightly. Neither of them fell to the ground. 

There standing before Lain and Tsukasa was the woman or virus that had put Lain into this huge mess she was in.

"No!" Lain screamed out at her. "You go away! Keep away from me! You're the one who put me in this mess! Just leave me alone!"

The woman didn't reply to Lain's screams but walked forward. She saw Lain let go of Tsukasa's hand and unsheathed her sword and point it at her. The woman backed away a little but then smiled at what she was doing. She was backing away from a level 50 character. That was nothing compared to her. But still she had done part of what she was created to do. Keep this girl stuck in this game. Now she would do the second part. Speak to her.

"I am Mitski," Mitski said with a faint grin on her face. "As you know I am a virus. I was made to keep you in this game. I have done this, now your role is in play. I am here to keep you in action, I assume. I do have a message for you."

"What is it!?" Lain yelled out. She didn't drop her sword but was slightly shaking.

"Find the child born from darkness," Mitski said with the same grin. "She will help give you back what you have lost. What you have forgotten and had no need to remember."

"What!? I have lost nothing!" Lain yelled glaring at her.

"Your emotion to love. That is what you have lost," Mitski replied.

"When have I lost this emotion to love!?" Lain yelled out angrily. "You don't know what you are talking about!"

"It has been gone for so long, for six years, you thought you had it back when you returned home, to your loving parents," Mitski answered. "It was still missing, you thought you could never be loved or love anything. So it went away. You hated everything, that's why your parents abandoned you. Left you alone."

"You lying!" Lain screamed out dropping to the ground on her knees. "You lying, you're not telling the truth! That never happened! My parents loved me! They always did! It only happened because I was different! I couldn't handle some things! Go away! I don't ever want to see you again!!"

Mitski disappeared laughing silently to herself. Tsukasa looked down at the now crying Lain and back up to the spot were the virus had exited. 

"What does this mean?" Tsukasa asked breaking the silence that followed after Mitski left. "What was she talking about? Lain?"

He walked in front of her when she didn't answer to his questions. Her face looked so sad, worse than before. She looked as though all the happy things that ever happened in her life had vanished as if never to come back.

"Lain?" Tsukasa asked her. He sank to his own knees so he had a clearer look at her face. "What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"You wouldn't understand," Lain said as more tears rolled down her face. She didn't look sad anymore. Her face was expressionless. Blank. "I don't have the emotion to love. Part of me is dead. I'm so alone. Everything that has ever been good in my life is now dead. Why did this have to happen to me?!" Lain let go of her sword, which was still in her hand and then wrapped her arms around her shoulders. "I'm so stupid! Why did I ever play this game!? I was stupid to think that this wouldn't effect me! I WAS WRONG!!"

Tsukasa was speechless. He didn't know what to say to her. To make her feel better. He didn't know what to do. "Lain," Tsukasa started. "Don't cry. You're not stupid. You don't need to think that stuff, it's not right. It'll be okay. I'll help you get back your emotion to love. So please, please stop crying."

Lain looked up at Tsukasa as she dried her tears on her black shirt. He looked almost as sad as she was. Why though? They had just met a while ago. He didn't know her. He knew nothing about her past. But yet he was sad for her. This was something she thought she would never understand about him. Or was it pity in her look?

"You would help me?" Lain asked still blank in expression. "But you don't know anything about me. About my past, about how I was…"

"Your right about me knowing nothing about you past…but I do know stuff about you character, in this game," Tsukasa said now smiling at her. He was going to use the same tactics that she used for him, for her. "I looked up your file, like you did mine. You're a level 50 swordsman. With Blue, White, and Black magic. Your names I Lain and you have been playing this game fore two days. I'm right, aren't I?" 

Lain smiled up at him, picked up her sword and then stood on her feet. After sheathing the sword she began to walk towards the exit onto the field that was outside of the dungeon. Tsukasa was following closely behind her.

"so," Lain began walking out into the sunlight with the Wave Master. "What are we to do first? Split up?"

"I told you," Tsukasa replied with a grin on his face still. "I'm going to help you. I'm helping you get back your ability to love." Lain smiled at him and then sighed.

"You to nice,' Lain replied smiling more brightly at him.

Okay so I know this chapter is a little short…but then again I didn't want to drag it on too long. Then it would just get stupid…right? Well REVIEW and tell me what you think. 

I'm not too sure about this chapter though. I always thought it would be nice if someone in the show lost an emotion, (well Tsukasa sort of has…I mean he's so down all the time…) and went to look for it. Well if you can guess what this is going to lead to or maybe have some idea that might make this better or a comment that would help in the future…please tell. I would truly like to know…. Like I said before REVIEW and keep reading!!!  


	4. Meeting you again

Disclaimer: I do not own .hack//SIGN or any of its characters. All I own is my thoughts and my own original character Lain Auska X.

.hack//SIGN

Episode Four: Meeting You Again

Saga: Born from Darkness

It had been forty-eight hours since the last time Lain had spoken to another player. Tsukasa and herself had just kept away from large gatherings of players. They didn't want to get caught by the knights or Subaru. Neither of them had found or heard anything that had to do with the Child Born from Darkness.

"We've looked everywhere!" Lain cried out in frustration. The two of them had just entered a new field on the outskirts of a huge mountain. They were now walking up a dock towards a set of stairs.

"I know," Tsukasa replied just as frustrated as she was. "But don't worry. Were meeting some of my friends." HE saw the worried look on her face and then added, "Don't worry, they'll help us. We'll find it sooner if they help."

Lain smiled at Tsukasa and walked up the stairs with him at her side. As son as they reached the top they looked around the flat land covered in grass. But around the edges were tall mountains and a wooden railing.

"You sure they can help us?" Lain asked looking around doughtfully. "I mean what if we can't find this Child Born from Darkness?"

"Stop worrying, we'll find it," Tsukasa replied. He sounded so sure in what he was saying that Lain gave up some of her dought and turned it into hope.

"Is that you Tsukasa?" a voice said to their right. The voice belonged to a male player. They turned around and faced him.

Lain starred at him hard. His appearance and voice sounded familiar. But she couldn't remember who he was. Had she met him some time ago? It hurt to think so hard about it so she stopped.

The man turned his attention to Lain who he had over looked. He looked at her shocked. "No! It can't be! Is it really you?!" he cried out to her. "Lain?! But I saw you die in that dungeon! What was that thing you were fighting?! And what stopped me form getting to you?"

"Who are you?" Lain asked. "You look familiar but I can't remember who you are."

"It's me Lain! Bear!" Bear cried out to her astonished. "Don't you remember?! I was the one who was getting you around the world! Teaching you the basics. What happened in that dungeon?"

"A virus attacked me," lain replied to him gravely. "Her name is Mitski. I put up an invincible shield. So the virus couldn't get to you. This virus put me in the same state as Tsukasa. I can't log out."

Bear looked shocked at what Lain had told him. "Tsukasa," Bear began looking at him strangely. "Last I heard, you were captured and placed under guard in the dungeon of Carma Gatelica. How did you get out?"

"She came," Tsukasa said looking at Lain. "she disconnected the guards and then we left."

"Not good," Bear pronounced to them both. "Lain. Tell me everything. Everything that has happened since out last encounter in the dungeon. I'm very interested to know more about this virus. Mitski you say?"

Lain nodded her head in reply. She sighed and then told Bear everything that had happened to her up until the point of now.

As soon as Lain had finished she turned her attention over to Tsukasa. His face was so unsure. Like he was trying to decide something for himself. She turned her attention back to Bear. He was thinking heavily. He was looking at the ground and then looked up at Lain and sighed. HE was about to speak but stopped when he got a message. "Oh, a message from Mimiru," Bear said smiling and then frowned. "She's coming here, Tsukasa, Lain. And she's bringing Sora along with her."

"Does Sora have green hair, an annoying voice, and a horrible charm?" lain asked Bear. Bear nodded his head from a yes and Lain sighed at his reply. "He's the one who helped this mess. He contacted Subaru, the jerk…"

"Little Tsukasa! And little Lain!" cried out an annoying voice behind the three of them. They turned around to see Sora and a new player that Lain assumed was Mimiru. Tsukasa was looking a littler nervous and was fidgeting. He acted as though he didn't want to be there.

"You again!" Lain cried out angrily. "You the one who put me in this huge mess with the Crimson Knights! Now you act as though you happy to see me?! I should destroy you! Make you suffer like I have!"

Sora looked at her shocked and then smiled. "You've changed," Sora replied. "And I like it. What's your E-mail for the game? Come on let me have it! We can keep in touch!"

"Ugh! You freak! I said I was going to kill you and you make no notion to care?!" Lain screamed at him, while drawing her sword. She charged at him. He managed to pull out his blades fast enough to block Lain's attack, which was aimed at his face. "I told you! I'm going to kill you!"

"Oh! Your much different!" Sora cried out to her happily. "Your attacks are still suicide, and you also have a strong defense! But you're not even close to my league!" He pushed his blades forward and knocked her to the ground with her sword in the air. "You should battle more. You may be a level 50 character, but you need more experience."

"Don't you tell me what to do!" Lain screamed at him. She jumped up from the ground wither her sword in hand. "I don't need your advice! You go away and leave me alone!"

"Sora move," Mimiru pronounced shoving him aside.' You Lain! You're in a whole lot of trouble you know! You broke Tsukasa out! Subaru and the knights are furious with you! You're wanted everywhere! They say you get a reward for capturing you too! So I'd watch out!"

"Mimiru," Bear said to her a little annoyed. "We're not turning her in. She's an innocent victim like Tsukasa."

"Tsukasa!" Mimiru cried out finally noticing that he was there. "Are you alright?! Did they hurt you or anything?!"

"No," Tsukasa replied backing away from her. "Your selfish. You can't hide behind that excuse." When he finished he transferred to another field.

"Tsukasa!" Lain cried out the empty spot that he had once stood. "You said you would help me! You said you wouldn't leave me!"

"Don't worry about it Lain," Bear said sighing. "He needs some time to think. He'll be back, don't worry. If not then he'll contact you."

"Okay," Lain said glumly. She turned around and faced the three of them. "I should go now. I don't really need to be here. I need to continue my search. It's not here, so I should go." Lain was about to connect with another field but stopped when Bear spoke to her.

"I know your going to go and look fro Tsukasa," Bear begun. "Look in empty dark fields, with castle like dungeons. I'll ask other players about this Child Born from Darkness. And look outside this world. I'll help you find it, but promise me one thing. Help Tsukasa and yourself stay out of trouble. Just be careful. Okay?"

"Yes. Thank you," Lain replied and then disconnected from the server that she once stood. She reappeared in the first castle like dungeon, that Tsukasa and her had entered. IT was a eerie dark place, lit by a few torches. There was a huge twelve-foot stain glass window before her. A picture of an angel was on it. A stone black was sitting in front of the stained glass window.

Lain walked over to the stone block and sat down facing the window. She hadn't seen any sign of Tsukasa. "I should wait. He'll find me or send a message." She sighed and then leaned back on her hands.

"There you are Lain!" a voice said to her right. It was Tsukasa. His voice sounded a little shaky. As if he had been worried about something. Was he worried about her? As he reached her he seemed to calm down. HE sat down beside her and caught his breath. "How come you left? I came back to get you but you weren't there."

"Why did you leave me?" Lain asked him quietly. She didn't look too happy. She was looking at the ground with a depressed look on her face. "Did you and Mimiru have a fight?"

Tsukasa didn't answer her at first. He kept quite and looked at Lain surprised. He might as well tell her. She did have a right to know. But why was he opening up to her? Was it because she was just like him?

"Yeah, in a way," Tsukasa replied.

"In a way?"

"She betrayed me. She handed me over to the Crimson Knights. That's how they had me captured."

"Why did they want to capture you to begin with?"

"Because he deleted all those people. They thought I was doing it on purpose. But I didn't have control over him. It wasn't my fault. Most of them asked for it. They wanted to fight with me. So I did. But most of the time I refused. But still they persisted until they ended up either fleeing or dying."

His voice sounded so sad, so lonely. Lain was afraid to ask more. But she had to know. Who was Tsukasa talking about?

"Who is 'he'?'

"My guardian. He's like summon magic. He protects me from other players. He's the one who deletes them. Not me."

"Why can't you control him?"

"I don't know. He just doesn't listen to me. So I don't call him anymore."

"Oh. Maybe you'll be able to control him once day. Maybe you need more practice?" 

"Maybe."

"Do you remember anything from your life? Like outside this game?"

"Not really. I tried to forget it. It's just not worth thinking about. How about you? Do you remember anything?"

She was afraid of him asking her about this also. She had to be truthful. Something was telling her to. Don't lie. Just tell him a little.

"I don't really like talking about it much. But I didn't spend most of my life with my mother or father. I never really did get to know them very well. I sort of drifted away. I was taken from them at the age of ten. Put under supervision for six years. I just got out a few weeks ago too. I was starting my life over. Then of course this happened."

"I shouldn't have asked. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. It's nice having someone to talk to for a change. Do you think we could do and look around one of the cities or something? I've only been to Carma Gatelica. That was were I first met Bear."

"Maybe after a while."

He looked at Lain and smiled. She was still looking at the ground sadly. Was something bothering her? Or had she not told him something? 

"What's wrong?" Tsukasa asked looking at her more closely. She looked as though she would vanish. Like she was all a dream. Like she wasn't real.

"Maybe I'll tell you latter," Lain replied. "Not now. I can't until I'm ready." She stood up and stretched. She then looked down at Tsukasa. He was looking back at her with a blank expression. Lain was about to say something to him but stopped when she heard a chiming sound. She had a message. And it was from Sora. She frowned and then sighed. "Hey! How did Sora get my address?! I bet Bear gave it to him…!"

"What does it say?"

"Meet me at the entrance to the dungeon of Hell."

"Should we go?"

"Ya of course. Even if it is Sora. He might know something useful. Might as well. But if anything goes wrong…get out of there. I don't want you to wait for me. I don't want you to get hurt. He has this thing for tricking people."

"Okay."

There was no way he was going to leave her alone again. He wasn't going to leave her again. Nothing bad was going to happen to her. She was going to be alright. Just as long as he was there at her side, she would be fine.

The two appeared in front of the dungeon that Sora had specified. He was not anywhere for the two of them to see. Was he setting them up? Just trying to get them out in the open? Was this all a trick?

"Do you see him?" Lain asked Tsukasa, while she was looking around suspiciously

"No," Tsukasa replied. "Should we go then?"

Before Lain could answer she felt someone grab her around the shoulders from behind and jerk her backwards. Then the annoying voice spoke.

"Bonk! I didn't think you would show up!" Sora said soberly. "But then again you probably wouldn't come without Tsukasa!"

"Get off!" Lain called out as she struggled to get out of his hold. "The last thing I want is you all over me!"

"Watch the tongue Lain Auska X,: Sora said silently to her. He dropped his grip on her shoulders and grinned a silly smile at Tsukasa.

"So you figured out who I am?" Lain replied rubbing her neck. "That can't be the only reason you called me out here for. Now can it?"

"No, not really," Sora answered. Sounded as though he would play with her. "I do have some other information for you, but… I won't tell you unless you tell me a little about yourself. The you outside this world I mean."

"What are you getting at?" Lain asked facing him. "Why? You know my name. Isn't that enough?"

"No not really," Sora said smiling slyly at her. "I was thinking maybe once you get out of this game…we could met up in the real world? Get to know each other a little better?"

Lain looked at him shocked and then laughed. "Don't think so. You're more than an assassin or thief though. You're a stalker. No lower than that. A lying spider that likes to make stupid bargains. I'm leaving. It seems you have nothing important to say. I don't like bargains. And even if we had for some chance got to meet each other outside this game, you wouldn't like me. I'm not your type."

Sora didn't seem too happy with what she had said to him. A moment latter he had one of his knives up at her throat and his hand gripping her shoulder.

"Look I don't just make bargains with everyone," Sora said angrily to her. "I have some information in, which you would like to know. All I ask in return is for you to tell me your age and hair color. How's that!? So you don't have to tell me much!?"

"Fine," Lain said as he withdrew his blade from her and his hand. "I'm seventeen and I have black hair. My real self looks like how I am in the game. Now what is so important to tell me!?"

Sora seemed to have calmed down as she started speaking because he looked relaxed and looked at her calmly. "How nice. You might be wrong about that type part though. If you act like this in real life, then your everything I've wanted. Anyway to the real point. I've found out some important stuff about you and a little about Tsukasa. You both are in a hospital. The same hospital. The rooms are next to each other in fact."

"Why are we in a hospital?" Lain asked. "Why am I not in my room? The place I was staying?"

"The truth is your both in a coma. It doesn't state why though. The doctors wouldn't tell me," Sora replied with a frown. "I wasn't family so they wouldn't talk." 

"Coma?" Lain asked horrified. "But how? That's impossible! I can't be. I was just in pain when I was playing the game. I new I wasn't dead… he called the police. I was fine!"

Memories were coming back. Everything was going to go wrong.

Lain fell to her knees and clutched her head. She heard Tsukasa's voice yell out to her. But he was so far away. It was so hard to hear him. Why was his voice so far off? When he was so close?

**FLASHBACK**

A girl at the age of seventeen was sitting in the corner of a white padded room. She was rocking back and fourth. Her hair was pitch black. It was short and curved around her face in a v. You could see a little bit of her eyes though her knees, which were pulled up close and were being held tightly by her hands. Her eyes were a melancholy blue. Her face wore a sad and depressed look. She was wearing a plain white flannel dress. It was at least one size to big for her because it drug across the ground. This girls name was Lain Auska X. She kept repeating the same phrase in Japanese over and over again. 'I don't want to die'.

She didn't stop when the door opened. She didn't even take any care to look up at the person who had entered.

"Lain," a man's voice said to her. She heard the voice before. It was her father. He had come to visit her. She looked up at him slightly but kept repeating her phrase. "You want to play that video game me and your mother bought you? Am I right? You can play it now. But I'll have to survey you. They won't let you play it alone. Would you like that?"

Lain nodded her head at her father and then stood up. She became quiet and followed him out the door of the room. Two guards were following closely behind them. A minute latter they entered another room. Except in this room it was filled with all sorts of computers, not padded walls.

"Over here Lain," her father called out to her. "Sit down. Now that's a good girl… the games already installed and everything. All you have to do now is create you character."

"Okay," Lain replied. She started the game and browsed though the settings.

Name: DUST

Password: ****

Character Name: Lain

Character Type: Swordsman

Black Magic: Yes

White Magic: Yes

Blue Magic: Yes

Weapon: Long Sword

These were only a few of what she had to do. She now had to go though what her character would look like. They had barley nothing there that she wanted.

"What are you doing Lain?" her father asked her sternly but yet curiously.

"Hacking," Lain replied.

"Will you be found?"

"No."

Finally Lain had everything she wanted her character to look like. Short black hair, sad blue eyes, a plain black short sleeve shirt, levi jeans, black steel-toed boots, and black gloves.

"Are you done?"

"Yes."

"Play then."

"I am."

The room was silent for hours. Lain seemed to be enjoying the game because she just sat there and playing with no complaints.

The silence was broken a second latter by Lain's horrifying screams. She fell out of her chair, twitching a little. There was a huge gash in her stomach. Blood was flowing though it heavily. How could this have happened? Why had the guards waited outside the door!? Hadn't they heard her pitiful screams by now!?

"Oh shit," he said looking down at his daughter horrified. He pulled out his cell phone from his pocket and dialed the number for the police. "Hello? Police? This is Zero Kusanagi. My adopted daughter Lain Auska X is dying in here. She is at the local Mental Hospital. I don't know what happened! She was just playing a video game?!"

**END OF FLASHBACK**

Lain was no longer on her knees. She was on her back. She was screaming as loud as she could. It was so horrible. She was trying to push herself up with her hands and feet but couldn't. Something was weighing her down. Her attempts of getting up were useless.

Her arms were bleeding heavily. She was now coughing up blood every time she could though her screams. If you could have seen her shirt in another color you would have noticed that it was soaked though with blood.

Tsukasa was looking at Lain horrified. It looked so painful, what she was going though. A huge puddle of blood had formed around her. She was bleeding so badly. HE couldn't do anything to help her. The first person he had found that was like him was lying on the ground dying before him. The first person he actually felt some sort of emotion for was dying. The only person that he had gotten totally along with was now almost gone. He would never see her again if this was… No…he wouldn't believe it. She wasn't being deleted/ He knew it, but… what was she going though? This looked so much more painful than dying though. He wanted her suffering to stop, so much. He couldn't do anything, he was useless to her now.

Sora looked at Lain shocked and horrified. She looked fine before. Nothing seemed wrong with her before. She looked so helpless so horrible now… She was bleeding half to death. Her screams sounded so bad. Was this dying for her? Was she dying now? In this game? To never return? Never to awake again?

Lain's screams echoed though the whole game in vain. All the characters created in the game could hear her horrifying screams of pain. It sounded worse than anything they had ever heard. And sounded so real, as if this wasn't a game. As if this were so real….

Well done with yet another chapter. Tell me what you think. REVIW AND READ more please. Have anything that you might think will help in the future? Well E-mail me. I'm always open for anything that might help me!


	5. Found to Only Be Captured

Disclaimer: I do not own .hack//SIGN or any of its characters. All I own is my thoughts and my own original character Lain Auska X. Oh and I would just like to correct an error, which I think I fixed… Lain is seventeen when she's in the 'Crazy house'. I mean it just wouldn't make since if she was ten in the Mental Hospital and seventeen in the game, now would it? Umm… thanks for being supportive and stuff. I'm glad people seem to be enjoying it. Keep reading please! 

.hack//SIGN

Episode Four: Found to Only Be Captured 

Saga: Born from Darkness

"What the heck? Were am I?" Lain asked allowed looking around the new server she had just appeared in. "How did I get here? Where are Tsukasa and Sora? And what happened back there? In that dungeon? Why was I in so much pain? It felt as if I was…dying…"

Lain sighed and then shock her head vigorously. She couldn't have those thoughts crossing her mind right now, what she really needed to do was find Tsukasa. But where was he? And would it be that easy to find him? She didn't have his E-mail so she couldn't just meet up with him somewhere. She had to go search for him or he had to contact her. But why hadn't he done it now? He had her mail address. Was he in trouble? Did he die also?

"No, no, no, no, no," Lain said shacking her head again. "Of course he didn't die. But the question is….where is he?"

She sighed again and then took a closer look at the server she was in. She hadn't realized it before but this server, it was so strange. As if it were different from the others she had visited. As if it had some unknown presence to it. No. There she went again, trying to get herself all worked up and scared. She had to stop thinking like this. She was fine and she was going to find Tsukasa soon.

She nodded her head and then smiled. Of course she would! What was stopping her!? 

Lain took a step forward on the stone bridge that was connected to the huge castle she was on. She continued walking on it until she was at halfway. Someone was calling out to her. It was a man's voice. Someone she hadn't heard before. Someone new. Would this person help her find Tsukasa? 

"I said halt!" he shouted out to her again. "Stay where you are!"

"Huh?" Lain replied turning around to face him. It was a male player. He had green-blue hair and sharp yellow eyes. His weapon was a Naginata[1]. His kimono was red and outlined in gold. The top of his kimono was cut down the middle to reveal his chest, which had the games markings on it in a light blue. His shoes were white and he was starring at Lain with a sly look.

"You Lain, huh?" he asked giving her a strange look. "For some reason I thought you might be armored and more jumpy. You seem to be taking this breakout of Tsukasa very lightly. Hey… where is he anyway?"

"Who are you!?" Lain asked now frowning at him. She reached for her sword and stopped halfway when she saw him start to get into a battle position. "What do you want!?"

"Me?" he asked looking at her blankly and then smiled. "Crim. And I'm here to take you back to Subaru. She's not to happy with you at all Lain. She wants you and Tsukasa in her possession. It would sure make us happy if you came quietly, without a fight."

"I don't do requests," Lain replied pulling out her sword and then pointed it at him. "What does Subaru want us?"

"That's for you to find out!" Crim shouted out charging at her. His weapon was up at his side. He flung it down on Lain who blocked it with a quick movement of her sword.

Whoa! How did I get so fast! I've never been able to fight like this before! It's as if my sword is acting for me! Against Sora I would have already lost! Is it possible that this player is weaker than Sora!? All these thoughts ran though Lain's head as she blocked more of Crim's attacks on her. Would she win? She didn't know. All she could do was hope.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Tsukasa looked over to Sora still shocked at what had just happened. Lain had disappeared only a few minutes ago, leaving her bloody mess behind. Had she died? Or been deleted perhaps? No not deleted. Subaru would have gotten rid of him too, but he was still here, so that meant that Lain was still alive in this game.

"Where did she go?" Sora asked looking at the bloody puddle that was all they could see left behind by Lain. "She couldn't have just disappeared without you. What were you two planning? Is this some sort of show? Cause I don't like it."

"It's not a show," Tsukasa replied looking at Sora still. "She…I don't know why…she died in the game."

"Has she now?" Sora replied with a faint grin on his face. "Where has she gone?"

"How would I know?" Tsukasa answered. "No one really knows where people appear when they die. It all starts at random in front of the chaos gates. You should know that. You are a player."

"Must have slipped my mind," Sora said shrugging it off. "Are you going to look for her?"

"Oh course," Tsukasa said. "Why wouldn't I? I have to. I mean shouldn't I?"

"I guess," Sora replied shrugging at that too. "It all depends on what you want to do. Me on the other hand. I think I'll just run off. I'll show up again when you find her. I have my own business to do."

"Really?" Tsukasa said annoyed with him now. "You seemed to be interested in her earlier. Now you don't want to look for her? What a good friend you are."

"Quite touchy where it comes to her with you," Sora said laughing a little. He ignored his anger and smiled at Tsukasa. "I am in a way looking for her. I'm going to log out and do some more research about the two of you. Get a better grip about what happened. What put you two into the coma. When I find out more you'll here from me." He waved at Tsukasa and then exited the field.

"What a jerk," Tsukasa said sighing. "I don't know why Lain even bothers to talk to him. He's just a waste of her time… But then again it's her decision. She can do what she wants. I have no control over her." He sighed again and then exited the field. He was going to go to all the fields that he would suspect her to be in. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Lain looked down at Crim who was now on the ground. She was over him with her sword pointed at his face. She took no notice to his panicked stricken face and heavy breathing. All she wanted to do was leave this server and go find Tsukasa. But she had this problem to take care of first. All though, she was quite proud of herself. She had managed to beat another player for the first time in a battle. 

"What are you planning on doing?" Crim asked her not moving a muscle. "Why haven't you disconnected me yet? Killed me?"

"I'm not a ruthless as Sora," Lain replied shrugging her shoulders, but still wasn't taking her eyes off of him. "Killing other players isn't my thing. It's like killing a human being in real life right? Or at least it would feel like that to me. Monsters on the other hand are a different story though."

Crim looked up at her an laughed a little. "Kid. Your not as bad as Subaru said you were," Crim said now smiling at her. "She said you were some sort of ruthless human being or something. Ignoring game rules and everything. Is it true though that you can't log out. Like Tsukasa." 

"Yeah," Lain replied looking a little grave. "Look I'll remove my weapon from you and let you stand up if you don't try to attack me again."

"Fine with me," Crim replied. "Not that attacking you would do any good. Since you have already proven that you're the stronger out of the two of us. You should use your abilities for good. Join the Crimson Knights or something."

"Isn't that I little old fashioned?" Lain asked raising her eyebrow at him. "Not that that wouldn't be a good thing and all…it's just that the Crimson Knights are after me, remember? Didn't Subaru send you to get Tsukasa and me? I would have thought though that you would have had backup here or something. What are you planning against me now?"

"Nothing. Honestly," Crim said as she removed her weapon from his face and sheathed it. She steeped out of his way a second latter to let him stand up. He did with ease and stretched a little. "I'm not with the Knights anymore. I quite. I just do favors from Lady Subaru right now. Do you know Sora? Heh, he also said the same thing when I asked him why he doesn't join the Crimson Knights."

"Oh, that jerk," Lain replied frowning. "Yeah, but I'm actually sorry that I ever met him. All he's been is a problem for me. Since the first time I met him."

"Has he now?" Crim asked sighing. "He's like that with everyone so don't get to down. What are you planning on doing now?"

"Nothing much," Lain replied shrugging her shoulders and giving him an innocent look. "I got separated from Tsukasa not to long ago. I have to go and look for him."

"You don't know where he is?" Crim said looking a little disappointed. "Lady Subaru's not going to be to happy with me. I managed to let you escape and never found Tsukasa."

"Sorry about this and stuff," Lain said yawning wildly as if she was bored. "You can tell her something if you don't mind being a message boy. Tell her that I'll met up with her only if she promises she will take Tsukasa and me off her wanted list. We'll disappear after I have a conversation with her. Can you do that for me?"

"Sure why not?" Crim said grinning at her. "At least I have something to tell her now. She won't be very pleased with what you have to say but it is something."

"Well I'll see you around then, Crim," Lain said waving at him. "Try not to let her get you too down." She grinned at Crim and then exited the field still waving good-bye at him.

"She's a funny character," Crim said grinning still. "It wouldn't be too bad to be teamed up with her. Hopefully we'll met up again one day in this game."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"She's nowhere!" Tsukasa cried out frustrated. He had managed to search all the fields that he and her had ever entered to find absolutely no trace of her. He sighed and then frowned. 

Right now he was in the dungeon like castle that he had shown Lain his very first time around the world with her. He was standing in front of the stain glass window with the angel on it. He was looking up at the light that was streaming though, while thinking about what he should do next.

"At this rate I'll never find her."

"Find whom?" a girl's voice said behind Tsukasa. She sounded confused but yet happy as if she had finally found something. "Don't tell me you've been looking for me the whole time, Tsukasa. I found you on my first try even."

"Lain!?" Tsukasa shouted out spinning around to face her. She was smiling brightly at him. He was so revealed to finally have found her or more likely she had found him. Tsukasa ran over to her still grinning. "What happened to you!? Where were you!? I looked everywhere! I couldn't find you! And to think you would just run into me!"

"Yeah, I guess that happened," Lain said grinning at him. "So you've been looking for me have you?" 

"For like ever," Tsukasa replied still smiling at her. "But what I don't understand is why you disappeared. Did you log off the server on us?"

"No. I died," Lain said sure of what she had said. 

"What happened to you?" Tsukasa asked. "You were in so much pain. You were bleeding so badly."

"I was reliving a bad memory. It came back to me. It was how I first played this game, like a few weeks ago I think," Lain said looking a little confused. "Tsukasa. Have you ever died in this game?"

"A few times," Tsukasa replied frowning a little. "It was only because I didn't want to use my guardian or I got a surprise attack and didn't realize what was happening until the last moment."

"What is it like?"

"It's not painful for me."

"It's not?"

"Yeah. It's like when someone you don't know sneaks up behind you and says guess who. You don't know what's going on though. Your scared, and it gets so cold. It's not painful though. It's like waking up from a bad dream. You don't remember a few small things though. I guess unimportant stuff sort of leaves you. Was it like that for you?"

"No. You heard me, right? I was in so much pain. It was I was reliving what happened to me when I first met Mitski. I hope I never meet her again. I don't want anything else bad to happen. But it's not that I'm too happy being stuck in this game. I'm happy to be with you and everything. It's just I'd like to go back to the real world for once. I miss stuff that you can only do there that you can't do here."

"But you can do almost everything here."

"You can?"

"Yeah. You have all your senses. You can feel, hear, smell, and taste. You can do all of that."

"I know. But it's just so strange here. It's just not the same for me. This is all so new, even though I've been here for a while. I guess I'm still trying to get used to it and everything."

Tsukasa just looked up at her blankly. Did she miss that ludicrous world so much? Why? All he knew about it from her was that it had cased her pain, just like him. Why would she want to go back if she was just going to be put back in that pain again? Wouldn't she rather stay here with him? Be happy for once? If not happy… then at least not sad or lonely?

"But then again I don't know. I might not want to go back. Even though it's nice to have a goal though. Maybe if we found a way out…would you log off…Tsukasa?"

"No."

"Why not. Surly you must miss some of the real world. I mean it wouldn't be to grand to just spend the rest of your life in a coma playing this game."

"I don't care though. I just don't want to go back."

"Oh."

"Yeah…"

"What happened to Sora? I thought he might have come with you to annoy me some more…"

"He logged off the game. He went in search for more information about us. He told me that when he found out more he would contact us…"

"I guess that's alright. I just hate having him know more stuff about me than I do. It's sort of creepy…ya know?"

"Yeah I can see it from that point." 

They both laughed a little and then smiled at each other. 

"So what do we have planned for today?"

"Anything you want. I've thought of nothing so far."

"How about we go and see Bear and Mimiru?"

"Mimiru?"

"Don't tell me you guys are still mad at each other. Look, just forget what happened. If she really wanted you to have been captured on purpose she wouldn't have been worried about you. She sounded as though she was. I'm sure that this was all just a miss understanding. It's in the past and now this is present. You should be trying to look into the future to figure out what were going to do next?"

"Yeah. I guess your right."

"Well then lets go!"

Tsukasa smiled at her again slightly and then exited the field along with her. They both reappeared in the field at the docks. As soon as they were up on the mountain they saw Bear and Mimiru looking horrified. As if something bad were going to happen.

"What the?" Lain said noting their horrified expressions. "What's wrong with you guys?"

"Lain! Tsukasa!" Mimiru exclaimed. "Get out of here! Subaru and the Knights are here to capture you again! They wouldn't let us E-mail you to warn you! Get off of this server."

"That will be enough Mimiru," Subaru said steeping forward. 

How had Tsukasa and her have missed Subaru and her knights? How had the two of them not been able to see her!? Everything was going to go wrong again! Didn't she tell Crim that she wanted to be put off the wanted list!?

"Look I'm really sorry about this," Crim said steeping out from behind the knights. "I tried to talk Subaru out of this but then again it's not my decision. But then again Lain… you get part of what you asked for. You are going to talk to Subaru."

Lain just glared at Crim angrily. She picked up her sword and sheath and threw it down on the grass in front of her. She rose her hands into the air and grinned faintly at the knights.

"What are you doing Lain!?" Tsukasa cried out not following her actions.

"Drop your weapon, Tsukasa," Lain said not taking her eyes off of the Knight, Subaru and Crim. "They have us out numbered. We might as well come as she asks. I mean I do want to talk to her after all."

"But-," Tsukasa began and then stopped when Lain cut him off.

"Just drop your weapon. You'll get it back soon," Lain said.

Tsukasa didn't reply to her. He threw his rod up by Lain's sword and looked at Subaru with complete hatred. 

"So what are you going to do with us?" Lain asked now looking at Subaru with hatred along with Tsukasa. "If you delete us then your only committing murder. We are in coma's after all." Lain laughed a little but didn't take her eyes off of Subaru.

"How dare you talk to Lady Subaru like that!" the Silver Knight yelled at Lain drawing his sword and pointing it at her.

"Hey you shouldn't try and attack an unarmed player," Lain said shrugging her shoulders at him. "Wouldn't that make you just as bad as Sora?"

"Arrest her," Subaru said angrily. "Her and Tsukasa."

"Hey you can't do this!" Lain screamed out angrily as the knights stepped forward and walked over to Lain and Tsukasa. "This is just wrong! I've done nothing wrong! Getting Tsukasa out of your dungeon was probably the best thing I did for him! You wouldn't listen to what he said! You wouldn't believe what he went though! YOUR NOT LISTENING TO ME!"

Two of the knights steeped forward and grabbed Lain around the arms. They seemed to be taking no notice to her struggles and screams of anger at Subaru and Crim.

"TSUKASA!" Lain screamed out in panic as she was forced to leave the field with the two knights.

Tsukasa stood there shocked as two more knights took a hold of him with out any effort. He just stood there motionless. Lain had managed to leave him again. Would he ever see her again? Or was she gone forever? What where they going to do to her, and more likely him?

Naginata[1]: A Japanese polearm weapon similar to a halberd.

                Well this chapter is over. Stay tuned for the next. Review and tell me what you think. Would like to know anything that would help make this story better. Like if you have any comets on how to improve my writing and stuff…. Well read the fifth chapter when it comes up…


	6. Captive Released Meeting Suffering Pain

Disclaimer: No!! I can't believe this! Tsukasa is a girl! How horrifying! This sucks! Oh well, if you can see where I am getting to, which I am sorry to say if your thinking, 'What the hell? Why is she doing this? I mean this happens a lot in other fics…' Well you might be able to see what I am thinking in the near future… Well anyway. In my fic Tsukasa is a boy outside of the game. I know this may screw a lot op and all, it's just how I want it to be…I do not own .hack//SIGN or any of its characters. All I own is my thoughts and my own original character Lain Auska X. 

.hack//SIGN

Episode Five: Captive. Released. Meeting. Suffering. Pain.

Saga: Born from Darkness

                "Let me out of here!" Lain screamed out pounding on the chambers door. "I didn't do anything wrong! To hell to you guys! You're all a bunch of stupid idiot anyway! And at some point you are going to realize that you've made a mistake! Open up! Let me out!"

"Shut-up in there!" one of the knights barked at her pounding on the door. "No talking!"

"Make me! I will shut-up when Tsukasa is put in here with me!" Lain screamed out ignoring the knight's request. "Get him in here! I don't like the idea of him being alone! Are you listening to me!?"

"We will not do as you request," the knight barked at her. "Subaru wishes for you two to be separated and that's how it will be."

"I don't care what Subaru thinks! I'm tired of her not coming out in the open and talking to me!" Lain screamed at him angrily. "She wants to talk to me but she doesn't! Get her in here if she wants to! Where's Crim! I should be yelling at him not you! Get one of them!"

"I said shut-up!" the knight yelled at her again. "If you're not quiet then I might consider telling Subaru to delete you, you ungrateful brat!"

"Don't call me that!" Lain screamed out hitting the door again. "Your just like them. Always criticizing me. You don't know me." Lain fell back from the door and walked over to one of the corners in the room and curled up in a little ball. "You know nothing about me to call me that. You as bad as them…"

"Lain," Crim said through the door. "I'm sorry about this. I didn't know this was going to happen."

"Go away," Lain shot at him not looking up from her knees. "You did this to me. Now you're going to pay you traitor."

"Now hold on a second," Crim said looking at her angrily. "Traitor? We were never allies to begin with. I just was a message boy remember? Can I come in here and talk to you?"

"I guess," Lain said not moving from her position. She heard the door open and then Crim's foot steeps come over to her. "What do you want? Are you here to tell me that I'm going to be deleted?"

"No," Crim said sitting down across from her. "I just thought I might make a visit here to see how you were doing. And from what the guard say's, you have been giving him hell?"

"Yeah what of it?" Lain asked looking up from his knees to Crim's face. "He won't  even ask Subaru to put me in a room with Tsukasa."

"Subaru would say no," Crim said looking at Lain and then leaned back on his hands. "Tsukasa's fine anyway. He seems to not like the fact the he's away from you either. But he hasn't resolved into yelling though. Just sits in the corner of the room like you are now."

"Really," Lain said looking back down at her knees. "Is Subaru even going to talk to me at all? Or is she just interested in Tsukasa?"

"Actually she's more keen on getting to know you," Crim said smiling faintly at Lain. "Your more rebellious than Tsukasa. You seem to be more like an enemy to her than him. You hate her. Don't you?"

"Hate?" Lain said looking up at the word. "Hate is so strong. I don't hate her. I just dislike her. She doesn't show herself in the open to talk to me. I mean I saved Tsukasa from a fate he would have been punished for, for no reason at all."

"Punishment?" Crim asked looking at Lain a little confused at her words.

"She was going to delete him right?" Lain asked still looking at her knees. "That's what he said to me. I couldn't just stand by and let that happen. That wouldn't be right of me. I can't just let that happen…"

"She wouldn't have just deleted him," Crim said frowning at the thought. "She would hear him out first."

"But would she actually believe him?" Lain asked looking up at Crim doughtfully.

"She did see that you couldn't log off right?" Crim asked raising an eyebrow at Lain. "So she would have to believe him now. Right?"

"I guess," Lain replied looking back at her knees with a frown on her face. "But then again…what is she going to do with us? I mean if were deleted… she'd be committing murder. I…"

"She won't delete you. I'll make sure of that," Crim said getting up from the ground. "What you really need to think about is what you're going to say to Subaru."

"Why?" 

"Because she is going to come in here and talk to you," Crim said smiling faintly down at her. "I mean she can't just leave you in here without questions. Now can she?"

"I guess not," Lain said shifting a little. "But when is she coming? Do you know if she'll let me off that list of her? Tsukasa too?"

"I don't know," Crim said looking a little worried but then covered it up with a small laugh. "But don't worry about it kid. I'm sure you can break him out again? Can't you? I mean you have all these friends now that are probably willing to do anything for you! Right!?"

"I guess," Lain replied quietly and then smiled. 

The door opened a minute latter after Lain's words. Subaru entered and then the door shut again.

"Crim?" Subaru asked looking a little confused. "What are you doing here?"

"She my friend I guess," Crim said shrugging his shoulders. "I had to see how she was doing."

"I see," Subaru said, while making her way over to Lain. As soon as she was a foot away from the girl she stopped and looked down at her sadly. "You know you've caused me a great deal of pain."

"Have I really?" Lain said sarcastically. "You've caused even worse for me!"

"I have?"

"Yes. You made Mimiru betray Tsukasa. You put us on that wanted list, and you won't take us off. Then you threaten me and him with being deleted. You don't know how this is. You don't know what it's like to be stuck in this game, when you can't log out. I'll never go home. Never. So how could I have caused you a great deal of pain when you are making me suffer more and more every day?"

"I-you don't understand," Subaru said glancing at Crim and then back to Lain. "Crim. Leave now. I want to talk to her alone. Now."

"Yes Lady Subaru," Crim said exiting the room.

"Why did you make him leave?" Lain asked angrily. "Now I'm stuck in this room with you."

"Forget him," Subaru announced looking at Lain. "Right now you have more important matters. First I will have to deiced what to do with you. And Tsukasa also."

"What to do with me?" Lain asked now looking at Subaru dead center in the eyes. "I know what you want to do. You want to just get rid of me. End this matter. Well come on. Say it. You want to delete me and Tsukasa so you won't have to go through all this pain that you are saying that I have caused. Right!?"

"But I don't want to delete you and Tsukasa," Subaru protested frowning at Lain. "Do you know what your saying!?"

"No," Lain said shacking her head and then buried it in her hands. "I'm sorry alright. I don't know what I'm saying; I don't really know what's happening to me. I guess my anger got the best of me… Or is it that I'm scared. For myself, and…Tsukasa? Look Subaru I don't hate you, I just dislike you. So far all I have gotten to know about you is that you're a Princess of the game. You control the Crimson Knights. Maybe I'm scared of you, I don't know…."

"Scared?" Subaru asked bending over on her knees and then sat down. "How could you be scared of me? I have heard that you made contact with a Virus named Mitski. She is the one who supposedly has gotten you stuck in the game, right?"

"How did you know that?" Lain asked looking up with a blank face. "Crim couldn't have told you because I never told him."

"It was a women named BT," Subaru answered. "Bear told her and then she told me. But don't worry, the whole game doesn't know. Just Bear, Mimiru, BT, the knights and then me."

"I don't care if the game knows," Lain remarked turning her head back down in her hands. "Right now I don't really care about anything. I just want to know why you separated me from Tsukasa. I just want to be back in Tsukasa's company."

"I did it because you to are great allies," Subaru answered again. "Because I thought you two might come up with a plan together and break out again. When you broke Tsukasa out the knights told me that you used some kind of magic. Some sort of magic that is really rare in the game. You'd have to have extraordinary power to use it."

"Power?" Lain asked. "I don't have a lot of power. I mean sure I beat Crim and all… but I could never beat Sora. He always seemed to get the best of me."

"Sora?" Subaru replied laughing a little. "Don't worry about that. He gets the best out of everyone. That's how he is able to beat you. He distracts your mind, he make you lose sight of how you are going to fight. You sort of lose concentration on your goal. Your mind wanders."

"Oh, I get it now," Lain said smiling at what Subaru had told her. "Next time I see him, I try out your tactics. I'll see if they work. That is when I ever get out of here."

"You will," Subaru replied standing up. "I put you in here so I could have talk to you. You seemed to always be on the move and seemed to have no time to talk to me. And I did have to act like I was going to punish you for you break out of Tsukasa for the knights and the game. If I just let you go for that… the players would lose their respect for the knights. It would be chaos after that. The knights wouldn't be able to keep the balance."

"Oh," Lain replied looking up. "So you are going to let me go, but punish me all the same?"

"Yes," Subaru replied looking down at Lain and then smiled. "Don't worry. It won't be too bad. I just want you to promise me one thing. Then I'll let you leave after a few more questions. How is that?"

"You sound like Sora," Lain said standing up. "He likes to make bargains also. But don't worry. I don't think you're as low as he is. Your alright now, that I've got to actually know you."

Subaru nodded her head and then smiled. "I want you to promise me that you will be there for Tsukasa. Be his guidance. Help him not to get into any more trouble. Make sure he doesn't use his guardian to destroy more players."

"Help Tsukasa? Be his guidance?" Lain asked raising her eyebrow at Subaru. "I can't control him you know that. Were friends and we let each other do what ever we think is right. And I don't think he'll be using his guardian any time soon. He's already told me that he can't control it. So I'm sure if he can't control it then he won't use it."

"But when he's able to control it?"

"I can't control him. Remember? But I can tell him my opinion though. So don't worry."

"Okay. It's a deal then."

"Right. Now for those questions you said about before…"

"Right. It seems that you are more open about your feelings than Tsukasa is. So you won't mind if I ask you some things about your real life. I would like to help in anyway that I can to try and get you out of this game. I think it is a horrible crime to be punished into living her for the rest of your life. I mean how can you experience anything real?"

"Well first of all everything in this game seems real to me," Lain replied narrowing her eyes. "I have all my senses so I can do almost everything here. But I would like your help on trying to get me out of this game. But I can't promise that I'll leave if you figure a way out. I haven't really decided that far yet. I might not want to go back to my pervious life."

"Is your life that bad?"

"You wouldn't know. When your parents don't trust you, they don't love you, they even seem not to care. They just threw me away, like I was nothing to them."

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright. I've gotten used to it. I mean I have to accept it to move on, right?"

"What about Tsukasa?"

"I don't know. He hasn't told me much about his real life. Just that he doesn't want to go back to it. He says he's happy here with me. He really doesn't want to leave. I think it would be better for him here than out there, back in the real world. But if he decieds he wants to leave… I guess I will have to also?"

"Do you two, always stick together? Side by side?"

"Yeah. I think I'm his first true friend that he's ever had. I mean sure he's friends with Mimiru and Bear. But he doesn't really open up to them like he does to me. I think he actually has trust in me."

"Is that so? Have you ever heard about the Key of the Twilight?"

"Key of the Twilight? Nope. Never. What is it?"

"It's supposed to be a legendary item that has immense power, not to unlike yours and Tsukasa's."

"Really? Maybe I'll look for this item? It might prove useful for the future. And besides it'll give Tsukasa and me something to do. Then we can go on a quest. Sounds like fun."

"So you're going to look for it?"

"Why not? Do you want it Subaru?"

"No not really. I was thinking that it would be something that could help Tsukasa and you log out. I was hoping that that's what it would be."

"I told you before. I'm not too sure if either of us wants to actually log out. But then again, thanks."

"Yes. You are free to go now. But don't cause any trouble. I'm not to sure what I will have to happen if you do."

"Fine with me," Lain replied shrugging her shoulders and then walked to the door. "Is Tsukasa leaving with me?"

"Yes," Subaru answered following closely behind Lain. "He should be waiting for you." 

"Cool," Lain said as the dungeon's door opened. Lain steeped out followed by Subaru. She walked forward and saw Tsukasa by the exit. He had a knight at his side holding both of their weapons. 

"You can give them back their weapons now," Subaru announced walking over to the player called Silver Knight. "They are allowed to leave after that."

"As you wish Lady Subaru," Silver Knight replied handing Tsukasa his rod and Lain her Sword. "Leave now."

"Fine," Lain said finishing her walk over to Tsukasa and then began to walk away with him. 

The two of them walked in silence with each other, just listening to their footsteps that echoed through the passageway. Finally Lain spoke up.

"Tsukasa? Are you all right? You seem awfully quiet. Not that you usually aren't and all… it's just this is kind of strange," Lain said glancing at him and then put her vision back up in front of her.

"Huh? Oh. I was just thinking," Tsukasa replied glancing at Lain and then down at his feet. "Did Subaru ask you about the Key of the Twilight also?"

"Yeah she did," Lain replied in now crossing her hands over the back of her head and then looked at Tsukasa awkwardly. "I said I wanted to go look for it. I thought it might be useful." 

"You want to go and look for it?"

"Yeah it was just a thought. But it didn't mean anything. I can just forget it. I don't have too."

"No it's alright. We could go look for it if you want too. You are right. It might prove useful in the future."

"Are you going to use it to log out?"

"No. I was just thinking that I could use it to open her eyes."

"Who?"

"The girl that seems to sleep eternally."

"A girl?"

"Yeah. I haven't been to see her in a long time. But now that you mention it, she did look oddly like you… Except she has long white hair. I think she said her name was Aura."

"Aura…" Lain asked looking horrified at Tsukasa. "My mom used to call me that when I was a little girl. She said that my skin was so pale that she was sure that when light shown on it, it looked like the Northern Lights. But I never did have white hair though. It's always been black. I guess this is just a coincidence."

"Do you want me to show her to you? I can take you too see her if you want."

"I guess. If you want, but you don't have too if you don't want to."

"It's alright. I don't mind at all. We could go after we go and see Bear and Mimiru. I'm sure they want to know how were doing. I mean they did try to warn us when we got there."

"Your right," Lain said now grinning at him. "We should go see them. I bet there really worried about us too. I mean they probably feel really guilty, like they betrayed us. But they didn't. Right?"

"Yes." 

Lain exited the field as soon as she was out of the dungeon along with Tsukasa. They reappeared on the docks and began their walk up the stairs to the large grassy almost plain area.

Bear, Mimiru, and Sora were standing along the fence, as if they were waiting for them. As soon as the two of them took their first steeps toward the three, Mimiru exploded and ran over to them.

"Are you guys alright!?" Mimiru yelled out on the verge of tears. "I'm sorry that I did this to you! I betrayed you Tsukasa! Again! I'm sorry! Lain! I'm sorry that I betrayed you to! I didn't know this was going to happen! But still! I should have done something about it!"

"Don't worry about it," Lain said waving the subject away and then glared at Sora. "Were not mad at you if that's what your thinking. We know you couldn't have done anything about what was going to happen. We thought you guys would be worried about us so we returned to show you that we are alright."

"We were worried about you," Bear said walking forward to the three followed by a yawning Sora. "We had no clue what Subaru was going to do to you two. She was furious when she arrived over here."

"It's alright," Lain said waving that subject away also. "Were fine now. That's all you need to worry about. So how did you know that we were going to be here? I mean you guys did look like you were waiting for us."

"Sora came and told us that you were coming," Mimiru replied looking as though she had been able to control her emotions finally.

"Oh," Lain said with no emotion in her tone at all.

"What did I do to make you so mad?" Sora asked stretching and then yawned again. "I didn't do anything. I played no part in this."

"Actually you didn't for a change," Lain replied smiling now. "But I thought you'd be happy to know that I have improved on my skill in battle with other players. I fought Crim right after I died. I beat him, it was a synch. He was a piece of cake."

"Crim?" Bear asked looking a little surprised. "You beat Crim?"

"Yeah," Lain replied. "Ex-Crimson Knights? Right?"

"Yeah," Bear replied now looking shocked. "And you beat him. That's got to ruin his reputation a little."

"Nah, he didn't seem to mind much. I think he was actually impressed. At first he thought I was going to kill him and then I told him I'm not a ruthless as Sora," Lain said smirking a little at the bored green haired player.

"Ruthless? Me?" Sora asked trying to look at Lain innocently. "No way."

"Then he asked if I ever considered the fact of joining the Crimson Knights? I told him I didn't think so. It is a little old school if you know what I mean. I'm not just cut out for fighting all the supposedly evil and stuff," Lain said shrugging her shoulders. "What have you guys been doing in our absence?"

"A lot of searching," Mimiru groaned. "What I wouldn't give to go into a dungeon and have a battle right now."

"Hey then today's your lucky day," Lain said giving Mimiru the victory sign. "Me and Tsukasa were planning on going into a dungeon sometime. You can come with us when we do to. I mean it would make our party a lot better. Right? Tsukasa?"

"I," Tsukasa said and then paused. "Sure."

"Cool!" Mimiru burst out happily while Lain looked at Tsukasa a little uneasy. "Are you guys just going in a dungeon because you want to our are you looking for something?!"

"Actually we are," Lain answered taking her view from Tsukasa over to Mimiru and smiled. "Were looking for the Key of the Twilight."

"Oh! The Key of the Twilight!" Sora burst out happily. "I've heard of that! It's a legendary item that has unknown power right!? You have to let me in on this too!"

"Why should we?" Lain asked narrowing her eyes at him. "So you can get me or Tsukasa into more trouble? Or are you planning to steal it from us if we find it?"

"No. I just thought it might be fun, that's all," Sora replied looking a little poutey. "I thought maybe this time I could go into a dungeon with you since you wouldn't go with me the last time I asked you. Come on… please!"

"Fine, if it'll shut that annoying voice of yours up," Lain replied looking a little blank in expression and then sighed. "How about we all meet back here in a few hours or something? I mean we should go out and look for clues right?"

"Right!" Mimiru shouted out. "See you guys in two hours!" Mimiru left waving. Bear left after her shaking his head the whole time.

"And where are you two planning on going?" Sora asked eyeing Lain.

"Some where, where your not invited," Lain replied. "Go look with Mimiru and Bear or on your own or something."

"Fine. Be mean," Sora said frowning at her and then exited the field a little angrily.

"Tsukasa? Are you sure that your alright?" Lain asked now that everyone had left. "You haven't spoken more than once."

"I was thinking," Tsukasa said now looking up at Lain a little paler than usual.

"Tsukasa. I won't force you to tell me… but your not telling me something. You're not looking so well. What did Subaru tell you?" Lain asked looking at him now a little worried. "I know something's wrong. You can't hide it from me."

""I'm fine," Tsukasa replied now smiling at her. "Really. How about I go and take you to Aura now?"

"Alright," Lain said looking at him a little unsure of his answer but decided it best to give up, because he seemed not to keen on cracking open for her just yet. "Lets go then. How are we supposed to get there anyway? I mean it must be only reachable for you. Other players must not be able to get there right? Or news a bout a strange girl who seems to only sleep would be everywhere right?"

"Right," Tsukasa said smiling at her more brightly. "You catch on fast. It is only accessible to me. But I can open up a way for you to come too."

"Wow," Lain said smiling brightly at him. "You must be good at hacking."

Tsukasa nodded his head and then grabbed Lain's hand. She looked at him a little awkwardly and then went along with it. The two of them disappeared from field. They reappeared in a new field, it had the same presence as the castle that Lain had awoken from when she had fought Crim.

Lain looked over to Tsukasa a little awkwardly and saw that he was looking at her the same way. He let go of her hand instantly and then blushed a little.

A, thick bright forest surrounded the field. The tree's weren't green they were actually the color of an Aurora, all changing colors. The sky was also a bright Aurora. The grass that Tsukasa and her were standing on, were all shades of green. In the middle of the grassy area was a bed. It was as bright as snow and the same color, white. The sheets on it seemed to be floating out everywhere. Like a breeze was blowing the sheets but the two couldn't feel it. On top of the bed floating about one foot in the air was the girl that Tsukasa had told Lain about.

She was about five feet tall and had pale white skin. Her skin also reflected the Aurora that seemed to be covering almost everything. She was wearing a long white dress…it looked so much like the one Lain had wore when she was in the hospital. Except hers was longer… Her hair was extremely long and bright white. It floated around her in the untouchable breeze that seemed to me moving the sheets. Lain couldn't see her face because her hair was floating around it and seemed to be blocking it from all view.

Everything in this field was so bright, it was almost too painful to be there, to look at everything that surround the two of them.

"Tsukasa… is that her?" Lain asked steeping forward towards the girl called Aura.

"Yes. That is Aura," Tsukasa said smiling a little. "She's been her ever since I came to this world. She's probably been here longer than I have. And yet, she has never opened her eyes. She only told me her name, she says nothing else."

"Tsukasa…your right. She reminds me of…me," Lain said walking closer to the bed. She stopped when she was right in front of it. She could see Aura's dress more clearly now. It was like the one that she had worn in the hospital. It was almost the same one besides the length. "I've worn that dress before. Back when I was in that mental hospital. I wore the exact same dress. Tsukasa? What does this mean?"

"I don't know," Tsukasa said with panic in his voice. "Lain I want to leave now. We shouldn't be here. It doesn't feel right. We need to go."

"But. Hold on a minute Tsukasa, please? Just one more minute?" Lain asked leaning on the bed now. She was staring the girls face more closely. It was so sad and plain. As if she had never smiled before in her life.

"Lain," Tsukasa said with more panic in his voice. "I want to leave, now!"

"Okay," Lain said backing up from the bed. She turned around and then gasped out loud. Another player was in this field. "Tsukasa! Behind you! Another player. How can this be? I thought you said you were the only one that could get into this field."

"Mother?" Tsukasa asked turning around looking scared and shocked. "I…"

The new player was not in a human form. It was in a cat form. A most, unusual cat. The cat player was wearing a tan wizards hat. Its white ears were sticking up through its sides. Its shirt was a short sleeve one. It was tan and outlined in green. Under the short sleeve shirt it was wearing a long sleeve dark gray one outlined in the same green. It's pants were the same gray along with its shoes. Its tail was sticking out of the back of its pants and it was the same white as it's ears. The cats face was half purple and half white. On the plain white side around its eye it had a purple star. The cat's eyes were a bright ruby red and showed all emotion that it was feeling. The cat's hands were human. On the side of its face that was purple its hand was purple also. And its other hand was white.

Lain looked at Tsukasa confused. He had just called this strange cat player mother. Why? She looked back over to the cat and noticed that it now had an angry expression on its face. Its ruby eyes looked at her with a piecing, burning, glare.

"Tsukasa?" Lain asked panic now taking over her voice as she backed up. Was this player going to attack her? Why was it so mad at her? Was it because she was in the field with Tsukasa? Was she not allowed to be here?

"Lain," Tsukasa cried out running over to her. As he made it halfway he was jerked to a stop by an unknown force. "Get out of here Lain. I don't want anything bad to happen to you! Leave! FORGET ABOUT ME!"

"NO!" Lain screamed out running over to him. "I'm not leaving without you Tsukasa!"

"LEAVE!" Tsukasa screamed out as his weapon was jerked from him.

His face was now showing signs of pain and fear. It was wincing horribly as his arms were jerked to his sides. His legs were slammed together. He was now standing up totally straight. He was looking at Lain with the most fear she had seen on his face before. More than when she had first met him, when he had talked to her about Subaru deleting him.

"NO! I WON'T LEAVE WITHOUT YOU! TSUKASA!" Lain screamed out falling down to her knees in front of him. "NOT WITHOUT YOU!"

"No, Lain," Tsukasa gasped out trying to breath at the same time. "I don't want you too-" He was cut off by a violent force flinging him, upward into the sky and then back down, over to the bed. The girl that was on the bed before had disappeared. He hit the bed and then screamed out in fright and anger. "I…can't…breath…"

"Leave him alone!" Lain screamed out getting up from the ground on the verge of tears. "Stop it! NOW!" She ran over to the cat player and drew her sword and pointed it at the cat. "STOP IT! YOU'RE HURTING HIM!"

'Tsukasa? Why did you bring her here?' the cat asked. Its voice echoed through the field.

"Mother…" Tsukasa gasped out breathing in sharply and then out. "Leave her alone. Let her leave."

'No. You brought her here. You want to go back to that ludicrous world. You don't want to live in a world with just the three of us. You want to return.'

"No… that's not…true," Tsukasa said still gasping for air. "I can't breath."

"STOP IT!" Lain screamed out again now with tears running down her face. "CAN'T YOU SEE! HE CAN'T BREATH!"

"Just leave her alone," Tsukasa said twisting his face into a painful expression. "Just…leave her alone. I don't want…you to…hurt…her…"

"TSUKASA!" Lain yelled out forgetting her anger on the cat. She dropped her sword and then ran over to him.  "What's going on!? TSUKASA!?" She looked at him horrified and then leaned over him on the bed. "TSUKASA!"

"Lain…" Tsukasa said trying to twist his face over to look at her but couldn't. "Leave…please…"

"NO!" Lain screamed at him as more tears rolled down her face. "I WON'T LEAVE! I TOLD YOU! NOT WITHOUT YOU! TSUKASA!"

Lain gritted her teeth and then clutched her hands into fists and slammed on the bed beside him. She then stood up and turned to face the cat again.

"You did this to him! Stop it!" Lain screamed out. "You don't care what happens to him! I do! I won't let you kill him! JUST LEAVE HIM ALONE!" 

She ran over to her sword and picked it up. The cat looked at her strangely and then let out an echoing laugh. She glared at the cat and then charged at it with her sword. The cat dodged with ease, it was now smiling mockingly at her. Lain was about to charge at the cat again but she heard Tsukasa scream out loud. It sounded so painful. More than how she had been screaming.

"TSUKASA!" Lain screamed out facing him. She forgot all about the cat again and ran over to him. When she was halfway there a black light exploded around him. Lain was flung backward and then slammed into a tree. She looked back over to Tsukasa who was still engulfed in the black light. She could still hear him screaming. He was dying and she knew it. Was she going to see him again? Was this just death? The guess who he was talking about before!? Or was he being deleted by this strange player!?

The light started to flicker and then was gone. Lain looked over to the bed that Tsukasa was lying on before. He was gone. He wasn't there. He had died or been deleted. He was…gone.

Lain got to her feet wobbling the whole time. The impact wit the tree had effected her greatly. And the thought of being separated from Tsukasa again affected it even more. He was gone. Would she ever see him again?

"Tsukasa," Lain gasped out falling back to her knees.

End of this chapter. Tell me what you think. I know it sounded a little weird. I was sort of aiming for another cliffhanging ending. And I hope I got it. Well stay tuned for the next chapter. I should have it up next week. I'm hoping that I can end this story in about ten chapters though… Well continue to read and review!


	7. Separation and Rebirth

Disclaimer: I don't know Tsukasa's last name. Sorry. I don't even remember if they said it in the series. So I'm just going to make up one. If they said his name in the series and you know it, then please tell me so I can fix my mistake. And I don't know his birth date. The age I'm making up on purpose though… And one more thing, I don't know the cat's real name so I'm referring to it as Cat or Mother. Well uh I guess I don't know its attacks either so I'm making up some of those as well… I do not own .hack//SIGN or any of its characters. I only own my own thoughts and my own original character Lain Auska X.

.hack//SIGN

Episode Six: Separation and Rebirth

Saga: Born from Darkness

                "What am I doing here!?" Tsukasa shouted out looking around the room he was in. He was in a hospital room. He had awoken out of his coma. He looked down at his arm. And IV was sticking out of it. He could now feel himself shacking out of fear. He was no longer in the game, he had awoken. Had Lain left the game also? Or was she still stuck in there? What had Sora said before when he told them both that they were in a coma…?

He gazed at the bright light that was flowing in through the window, it hit him then. She was in the same hospital as him! She was in the room right next to him! He looked around and saw no nurse or doctor. He pulled the IV out of his arm and then leaned up. He moved himself so he was on the edge of the bed and then stood on his feet. He was still shaking, which made it hard for him to walk to the door but he made it.

He opened the door and then steeped out ignoring the doctors that were looking at him shocked. He made his way to the only door next to him. He turned the handle and one of the doctors screamed out at him.

"What are you doing!?" he shouted out. "You shouldn't be out of your bed! Your arm's bleeding! Did you rip your IV out!? Who are you kid? What's your name?"

"Tsukasa," Tsukasa said opening the door to its full length and then steeped in. "Leave me alone. I want to see Lain."

He steeped inside and the looked around. Lain was in the center of the room. Her heart monitor was beeping beside her at every beat. He could see her breathing, it all seemed to be in struggles. As he steeped forward he felt an arm grasp him. He turned to see the doctor. 

"You shouldn't be in here," the doctor said. "Is your room next to hers? You are the boy Tsukasa? Who has been stuck in a coma for a year? Yes?"

"I told you to leave me alone!" Tsukasa shouted out jerking his arm out of the doctor's grasp. He ran over to Lain's side and then leaned on her bed with his hands. He looked at her face. She was still in the coma. Only he had awakened. She was still back in the game. If he wouldn't be able to stay put in the game…he exited…he had to get her out too. Somehow…

"Is she a friend of yours?" the doctor asked noticing his horrified expression the spread across his face when he looked at her. "Did you want to see her? She's been in a coma for eight months now."

"Can't you wake her up!?" Tsukasa asked looking at him with a pleading look. "I want her to wake up! You've got to wake her up!"

"We've tried," the doctor said looking at Tsukasa sadly. "You two seem to be good friends. I don't want to take you away from her but I'm afraid you'll have to come with me back to your room. But you come and see her latter. I promise. Just after we get some papers filled out. Then you can go out and do your own business."

"I-" Tsukasa said and then cut himself off as he looked at Lain. "Alright. But can we make this quick? I have to go out and do something that's really important."

"I'll try to make it as quick as I can," the doctor said escorting Tsukasa out of the room and back into his own. "You don't seem to have a memory loss. You seem to remember everything. Tell me again. Just to make sure you know who you are. What is your name age and birth date?" Before Tsukasa spoke he went over to his bed and pulled off the information sheet and looked at it.

"My name is Tsukasa Fujamiya. I am nineteen years old, and my birth date is September the eighth 1997," Tsukasa said sitting down on his bed nervously. "Is that all or is there more?"

"Just sit there, be patient," the doctor said exiting the room. "I'll be back in a few minutes with your paperwork. You can leave then. Alright?"

"Okay," Tsukasa said as he noticed he was wearing some on the hospitals clothes. "Where are my clothes?"

"Over there in the chair," the doctor said closing the door behind him.

Tsukasa stood up as soon as the door was shut and walked over to his clothes. He picked them up and then changed into them. He was wearing a plain black long sleeve shirt and green cargo pants. He put his socks and on and then his plain black shoes. He walked back over to his bed and then sat down and waited for the doctor to enter the room again.

The door opened finally after an hour. The doctor steeped in and looked at him nervously. He handed him the paperwork and then spoke. "They said you could leave but they want you back in here next week, to see how you are doing."

"I'll try," Tsukasa answered getting up from his bed. "I'll see what I can do though." The doctor nodded his head as Tsukasa left the room and started his way down the lobby.

As soon as Tsukasa was on the outside of the Hospital he looked down the sidewalk and then sighed. Everything was crowded as usual. He walked up to the edge of the sidewalk and looked around for a yellow cab to drive by him. He spotted one and then called out to it.

"HEY!" Tsukasa shouted out waving his hands in the air. The cab pulled over to him. Tsukasa grinned and then opened the door and steeped in. 

"Where'll it be kid?" the driver asked looking bored.

"Shinjuku Mental Hospital," Tsukasa said with a grave hint in his voice.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Tsukasa?" Lain said falling on her arms and then beat the ground with her fists. "He's gone! That stupid cat player killed him! He's not coming back! He's been deleted! I know it! Why did this have to happen to him? Why couldn't it have just happened to me! WHY!?"

Tears rolled down her face faster. She finally stood up and then looked over to the cat player who was looking at Lain a little confused. Lain walked over to her sword once more and picked it up. She then pointed it at the cat once more and threw it a nasty look. 

"You're dead," Lain said through her gritted teeth as she charged at the cat player. The cat dodged once more but this time when it dodged it formed a fire ball in it's hand and then threw it at Lain head on. 

Lain swung up her sword almost a second to late before it was going to make impact with her face. She then dropped her sword from her face and tried charging at the cat once more. It dodged again along with the many times after that, that Lain charged at it.

By now Lain was breathing heavily from being so exhausted and depressed at the same time. Her sword was managing to drop slowly with her hand. She shook her head and then raised her sword back up in the air and glared at the cat once more.

"WHY WON'T YOU FIGHT ME!? YOU RUN!" Lain screamed out charging once more to only be dodged.

'Fight? Why fight? It's his fault that, that happened to him. He was the one who chose to bring you here. It is his fault,' the cat said laughing a little afterwards. 'Not that I ever cared, about him. I just punished him. Gave him the one punishment that he wouldn't want. Something he detested the most. But he is not dead. I would never think to kill him. Ever.'

"Then what have you done with him!?" Lain screamed out and then paused. What did Tsukasa hate the most? What was the one thing he wouldn't want? Was it to go back to that ludicrous world that he tried never to speak of? Did she awaken him from his coma? "Is he…is he awake!? Is he out of his coma!?"

'Then you know her well,' the cat said smirking at her. 'Not just that. I guess this punishment is a two in one. He is back in the world he hates so much and is away from you. Never to see you again. It is true that you are stuck in this game also. He will never see you again.'

"That's not true!" Lain screamed out angrily. "If he really is back in the real world then it wouldn't matter! He could still see me! All he has to do is log onto the game again! It's not hard! He will to see me!"

'Maybe, yes?' the cat said looking at her pathetically. 'But what would it matter to him? You may be real but he is not.'

"Shut-up then! Send me back to the real world! If you can do this to him then do it to me!" Lain yelled out pointing her sword at the cat threateningly. "Send me back to the real world so I can be with him! NOW!"

'It's not that simple,' the cat began and then paused as if bored of Lain's company. 'Even if I could do it again I wouldn't. Not for you. You took him away from me. We could have lived in a world full of happiness and laughter. Just the three of us. But then you came. You took him away from us. If anyone should be mad it should be him. Not you. You don't have the right.'

"SHUT-UP!" Lain screamed out fuming again. "I didn't do anything to ruin your life! Tsukasa could have left anytime he wanted! But he didn't! Because he enjoyed my company better I assume! He could have left but he didn't!"

'SILENCE!' the cat yelled out getting angrily again. 'You're the evil that separated him from us! You took him away! Do not lie to me!' 

The cat drew back both of it's hands over its head and then flung them forward throwing million's of fireballs at Lain. 

Lain looked at the fireballs that had been hurled at her. She steeped back a little and then got a fearful look on her face. She was going to die. Nothing could save her now. She could bloke all of them, not with just her sword, surly they would hit her. Nothing could save her, nothing.  She ducked so she was on her knees and threw her hands over her head, shut her eyes tightly and then screamed out.

As she was screaming she was waiting every second for the first fireball to make impact with her. But she felt nothing.  She stopped screaming and then slowly opened her eyes. She looked up to see the back of a player. A play wearing a tan robe outlined in a dark gray. But in front of him was what shocked Lain the most. 

It was a huge barbell that looked to be made of some sort of yellow orange liquid that was held together. In the middle of the thing was a ring in closed in it's own part of the liquid.

Lain slowly stood up and just gazed shocked at Tsukasa and then to the barbell like monster. Tsukasa turned around and faced her. He was looking at her happy and so sadly. 

"T-T-Tsukasa," Lain said surprised and said nothing more. 

"I'm sorry I'm late," Tsukasa said quietly and then turned to face the cat again. "I had to go out and do something before I came back for you. And it was important too. You'll be happy to find out that I know how to get you out of this game. You don't have to be trapped in it anymore. You can be in the real world with me Lain. You won't have to be so sad and alone anymore. I can save you."

"Tsukasa!" Lain screamed out happily. She took a steep forward and then flung her arms around him from behind. "I don't know what to say Tsukasa. I don't know how to fell. I was so scared. I thought you were gone forever. I thought I would never see you again."

"But you are seeing me now," Tsukasa said gripping her hands in one of his. "I'm here right now aren't I?"

"Yes," Lain said as more tears rolled down her face. "I missed you so much Tsukasa… the cat said you woke up from your coma. Is it true? Did the cat wake you up?"

"Yes," Tsukasa said with a hint of sadness in his voice. "But I don't mind much now. Only if you'll come back to the real world with me. I'll be happy. I'll stay there if you're willing to be there with me."

"Oh course!" Lain cried out gripping him tighter and then let go a second latter. She backed up a little and looked at the wave master happily. "I'll come to the real world for you Tsukasa."

"Good," Tsukasa said still with his back facing her. "But first I think we should go and see Mimiru and Bear. They might be able to help us. It would be the best thing to do. They would want to know anything new. Right?"

"Yes," Lain said nodding her head. She then noticed the barbell that was still in front of him. "Is that your guardian?"

"That's him," Tsukasa said smiling at his guardian. "I can control him now. It's easy. All I needed was something in my path to make me really scared. Something to trigger it. I can control him now."

"That's really good," Lain said now smiling at him. "But what about the cat?"

"Mother?" Tsukasa said gravely looking up at the cat. "Why did you do this? Now I have to leave you. I won't ever see you again. You know that? I would rather spend the rest of my life with Lain then you. You may had given me hope for happiness but I realize now that it will never come true. Never." Tsukasa then raised his weapon into the air and the guardian disappeared. He then turned around and faced Lain. "Let's go see Bear and Mimiru."

Lain smiled at him and then exited the field shortly followed by the wave master. They reappeared at the docks.

Lain looked at Tsukasa as if she were going to cry again but managed to hold it back, but just barley.

"Don't cry," Tsukasa said softly. "There's not much to cry about. Were both going to be fine soon. Everything's going be alright no matter what now. You'll be out of this game soon."

"I-" Lain broke herself off and then threw her arms around the wave masters neck and clung onto him tightly again. 

"It's okay," Tsukasa said wrapping his arms around her back. "I know how you feel. But everything is going to be alright. Really."

"This is just too much," Lain said holding back more tears. "This is just too much for me to handle right now. Everything's coming so fast. All these options. Everything that will determine my future."

"Well then we'll just have to take it one steep at a time."

"Yes."

"Hey!? What's going on here!? Are little Tsukasa and little Lain now love birds?" an annoying voice yelled out sounding a little grave. "Who would have ever guessed?!"

"Hey Tsukasa!" Mimiru shouted out happily racing down the steep and then down the docks. Following her was Sora and Bear who were making their was over to the two hugging teenagers at their own pace.

Lain and Tsukasa looked at each other and then blushed. They pulled away and then looked around nervously. Lain had her arms crossed over her chest and Tsukasa was now looking at his weapon as if checking for any scratches.

"Hey we saw you!" Mimiru pronounced as she made it over to the two and then screeched to a halt. "I always knew you two had a thing for each other. You could just tell!"

"A thing?" Lain cried out blushing even more. "I don't know what you're talking about." Lain was now looking at the waters edge and the looked up at the sky as if searching for something. "I was just standing here…"

"Hey you shouldn't hide your feelings," Bear said stopping at Mimiru's side. "Tsukasa. You shouldn't either. You should just admit it. Don't try to hide it. You'll just get yourselves into a deeper hole than before."

"Fine! I like him/her!" the both shouted out pointing at each other and then jumped when they both realized that they both had yelled out. 

Lain blushed some more and then turned her back to him nervously as he did the same.

"You two are hopeless," Sora said smacking him self in the head lightly. "I'm just sorry to say that you like a weakling such as her. I mean with all the power that you have little Tsukasa I would have thought you would have aimed higher."

"Your just jealous," Lain said sticking her tongue out at him. "That you never had a chance with me! And besides! I'm not weak! I could beat you if I wanted too!"

"Is that a challenge?" Sora asked raising his eye brow at Lain and then smiled at her happily. "I would have thought that you would have learned by now that you can't beat The Great Sora."

"Great Sora my ass," Lain said drawing her sword and then pointed it at the annoying green haired man. "Well just see about that." 

Lain charged at Sora who immediately jumped into the air and landed behind her. Lain rolled on the wooden docks and then flung her sword up in front of her face and blocked Sora's blade that he had tried to make a punch at her with. 

"You're getting better!" Sora cried out happily. "But not good enough!"

Lain flipped up so she was on her feet again and then swung her sword at Sora, which he blocked by moving one of his blades up in front of his shoulder. Lain smirked at him and then twisted her body around and threw a kick with her boots at his stomach. The kick made impact and he fell to the ground instantly a few feet away from where Lain stood.

"Not good enough?" Lain asked laughing as she sheathed her sword. "Looks like I just beat The Great Sora!" Lain laughed again and then gave him the victory sign. "Lets see…it only took about maybe a minute to beat you?"

"That wasn't fare though," Sora said looking at her sadly as he got to his feet and walked towards her. "You cheated. I never knew that you could kick in battle. I thought it would be just weapon's only." He then jumped into the air only about a foot high and spun around, while throwing a kick at Lain's face. The kick did nothing to affect Lain because she threw her hands up just at the last second and caught his foot. She then twisted him around and let him fall to the ground.

"You're a sore loser you know that?" Lain said sighing. "Just admit that I beat you for once. I won't tell anyone if you're worried that it will ruin your rep."

"I am not!" Sora shouted out as he got more annoying every second that he spoke. "You just cheated! Admit that! You pulled a fast one on me!"

"Hey!" Bear cried out steeping in between them. "Give it a rest will you Sora? Lain? How about we just forget this fight and pretend it never happened?" 

"How can I?" Lain asked looking at Bear happily. "Subaru's advice worked! She told me to clear my mind the next time I fought Sora and I would win! And I did! I'm so happy for myself right now!"

"Yes give it a rest already!" Sora shouted out crossing her arms over his chest angrily. "I don't want to talk about that stupid fight anymore."

"Hehe….but I did win!" Lain cried out giving him another victory sign. She then pulled her hand down fast when she realized he was going to attack her again. "Fine, fine! I'll stop talking about it!"

"Now that that's over…" Mimiru said pausing and then rolled her eyes. "How come you two are late? We've been here for like forty minutes waiting for you. I was just about to log off too…"

"A lot has happened," Lain said as her expression changed from happy to almost completely blank. "A lot of bad stuff."

"Come on now," Tsukasa said facing Lain and then smiled. "It can't be all bad? I mean at least you can get out of this game. Right?"

"I guess," Lain said sighing and then smiled at him. "Your right."

"Tsukasa!? You mean you've figured out a way to get Lain out of this game!? But how? I mean wouldn't that mean you would be able to log off to!?" Mimiru shouted out exited and a little worried at the same time.

"I've already been able to log out," Tsukasa said and then paused. He waited for it to download into Mimiru's brain for a moment and then went on. "The reason why you guys had to wait those extra forty minutes was because I was still trying to get back on the game. And it's a lucky thing that I did too." He then looked over to Lain and smiled a little at her. 

"Why?" Bear asked. "How though? How can you log off? What happened?"

"Mother attacked me…."

-----------------------------

Tsukasa finished up his story and then sighed. Bear and Mimiru were looking at him a little shocked. Sora was sitting with his legs crossed and yawned at what Tsukasa had to say. Lain looked at Tsukasa and then over to Sora who was now yawning more widely.

"Give it a rest Sora," Lain said frowning at him. "If you don't want to listen then go away. We don't need you too be all dramatic and everything."

"Dramatic?" Sora asked looking at Lain shocked. "Me? No way. I'm just sleepy that's all. I've been in this game for like ever and haven't got a wink of sleep. This is really killing my player…"

"Then leave," Lain said looking at him stupidly. She then turned her attention back over to Tsukasa and sighed. "Hey Tsukasa? Do you really know a way to get me out of this game? To make me able to log off?"

"Yeah. I was going to get to that," Tsukasa said smiling at her. "It's kind of simple and kind of not." He paused and then sighed. "Well when I was back in the real world you said you went to a mental hospital right? So I went to the only one in Shinjuku. They had some information on you. And I sort of found out some more things too without them noticing…"

"Like what other stuff?" Lain asked gulping. She was sort of scared to know…but then again…she had to. She had to find out what was going on. Was Tsukasa saying that the Hospital had something to do with her being stuck in the game? Or had she just misunderstood what he was saying?

"Well they…they created the virus that got you stuck in this game," Tsukasa said and then paused and frowned along wit hit. "I guess they sort of used you as a lab rat. They were testing something on you Lain. I don't know what they were testing on you though. But the only way to get you out of this game is too destroy the virus. Lain you have to destroy Mitski to be able to log off of this game. She is the only thing that is preventing you too."

"Kill the virus?" Lain asked looking at Tsukasa and then frowned. "Is that even possible? To destroy a virus? I mean even for me?"

"It's possible," Tsukasa said looking at Lain with a reassuring look. "I know it is. We just have to figure out how."

"But what if I do fight her? And I lose? Will I die?" Lain asked looking at Tsukasa with a new fear. "I mean every time I die…or someone else…I can't help but wonder will they be coming back? Or have they been deleted? Will they were return so I can see them again?"

"Don't think that then. It's that simple," Tsukasa said smiling at her. "Just don't care. All you need to think about now is destroying that virus. Don't try and think about what's going to happen after you do or if you lose. Just think that you're going to fight Mitski and your going to win."

"Okay. I'll try," Lain replied nodding her head but didn't sound to confidante in herself. "Is that all you heard?"

Tsukasa didn't answer at first but then nodded his head. How could he keep the truth from her? Not tell her more about what he found out? Not tell her about what happened when he ran into her parents? What they said…?

**FLASH BACK**

                Tsukasa looked around the building he had just entered. It was called the Shinjuku Mental Institution. He looked around and then saw a women behind a desk talking on the phone. He walked over to her and then paused when he reached her desk. She didn't seem to be taking any notice of him so he cleared his throat loudly.

"Just a minute," the woman said going back to her conversation on the phone. 

Tsukasa waited for at least five minutes. Finally the woman hung up the phone and then spread her hands across her desk and looked up at him.

"What can I do for you?" she asked as she seemed to be looking him over.

"I would like to get some information on a girl who just got out of here. Her name is Lain Auska X," Tsukasa said and then looked at the woman awkwardly. She was looking him over. He didn't like the feeling. He wished she'd stop starring at him like that.

"Are you in any way related to her?" she asked turning her attention away from Tsukasa and then over to computer that was on her desk.

"Yes. I'm her brother," Tsukasa lied. He only hopped that they wouldn't catch him. He hopped she wouldn't find out. He just wanted this information about her. He wanted to know a way to save Lain. To make everything better for her. To make everything right.

"Information on her?" the woman asked raising her eyebrows. "Go down the hallway on your left side. Keep walking until you run into a door that says Dr. Kusanagi on it. He should be able to help you."

"Thank-you," Tsukasa said bowing and then left. He walked down the hallway to his left side and passed a whole lot of doors. Finally he came to the door that had 'Dr. Kusanagi' written on it in gold letters. He knocked on the door and heard a reply of 'Come in.'

He opened the door and then shut it behind him.

"Well what can I do you for?" Dr. Kusanagi asked sounding a little bored.

"I'm Lain Auska X's brother and I would like some information on her," Tsukasa said repeating the same lie again.

"No your not," the Dr. said sighing. "What kind of prank are you trying to pull? Lain is my adopted daughter. Why have you really come here?"

"You're her father?" Tsukasa asked looking at the Dr. a little shocked. "Then you're the one who's done something horrible to her? You put her in this mental hospital when you work here? She's not insane if that's what your thinking."

"Insane?" the Dr. replied laughing. "Of course she is! I mean if you are her friend or something, which I don't think you are. She had no friends. She was a loner. Well anyway to the point. She is insane. She exited herself from having loving parents that cared for her, from everyone that wanted to be her friend. She cut herself out from all of that. She does everything that you would think an insane person would do."

"She's not insane," Tsukasa replied. "I've spent the last eight months with her and I can tell you for a fact that she is not. She's just misunderstood by you. You don't even try hard enough to get to know her. I probably even know here better than you ever will. You're the know who never dug deeper to try and help her with her problems. You're the one who but her out of your life."

"Wrong again," the Dr. said laughing again. He then put his hands on his desk and sighed. "How could you have spent the last eight months with her? She's been in a coma for eight months now."

"In a coma yes," Tsukasa said and then paused. "Like myself. I awoke out of mine today. It seems that while she is stuck in that coma she is also stuck in a video game. Called 'The World.'"

"Then our project worked! That's nice to here!" Dr. Kusanagi cried out happily. "Is everything in there like real life for her?"

"Don't you know what your saying?" Tsukasa asked forming his hands into fists. He was squeezing so hard that he knuckles were turning white. "You used your own daughter as a test subject? You put her in that game so she couldn't log out. You ruined her life even more? You're no father of hers. You're just a selfish adult that cares for nothing."

"Now, now, now kid," the Dr. said waving his hand at Tsukasa as if trying to calm him down. "I didn't ruin her life. I made it better. She seemed so unhappy here in this world. So I sent her away to another. One where anything can happen. Where her dreams might come true. Somewhere where should could finally be happy. I saved her. I made her happy."

"Think what you want," Tsukasa said. "But she's unhappy in there. If you actually care about her at all then you'll tell me how to get her out of that game."

"Why should I tell a kid such as yourself?" the Dr. asked looking at him a little confused. "What do you care about how she feels? She doesn't mean anything to you dose she? I mean sure you call her your friend, but are you truly?"

"No," Tsukasa said shaking his head and then laughed. "I'm more than I friend for her. I'm the only one that she truly cares about her. And she's the only one that ever truly cared about me. If I can't get her out of that game then she will die. You will have committed murder. You would be killing your own daughter."

"So she cares about you?" Dr. Kusanagi asked raising his eyebrows at Tsukasa. "She is able to love when she has tried to destroy it so long ago? When she disconnected herself from everyone?"

"Yes," Tsukasa answered. "Now how do you get her out of that game?"

"It's simple. Just kill the virus that I created. It's quite simple. Fight it and if you win then she will de released from the game."

**END OF FLASHBACK**

"Hello? Tsukasa?" Lain asked tapping him on the head. "Are you there?"

"What? Oh! I'm sorry! I was just thinking again…" Tsukasa relied trailing off.

"You should stop thinking so much," Lain said sighing. "You ignored everything that we were asking you."

"I'm sorry," Tsukasa replied bowing and then blushed. "I didn't mean to. I just got sort of lost in my thinking for a moment there."

"It's alright," Mimiru pronounced sighing. "So what is our next move? Were not looking for that Key of the Twilight thing anymore are we?"

"No. Were after the virus Mitski. We have to find her," Lain said grinning happily at Mimiru. "Then I have to beat her so I can log off!"

"Alright! I just hope she's in a dungeon!" Mimiru cried out happily. 

"You're getting a little to ahead of yourself Mimiru," Bear said sighing. "Are you sure you want to fight someone was strong as this Mitski character? I've seen her in battle. She wiped Lain out as if she were no problem at all."

"Hey!" Lain cried out frowning at Bear. "I wasn't as strong as I was now! I was just a beginner. You can't blame me for that."

"Should we include Subaru and Crim about this?" Lain asked looking over to Tsukasa. "She did tell me that she would help in any way. She doesn't want me stuck in the game. And now that you're already able to log out we have no problem right?"

"I guess," Tsukasa replied shrugging his shoulders. "You're right. They might be able to help. It's worth a try."

"Alright," Lain said smiling at him. "Bear, Mimiru? Do you want to go with us to pay a visit to Subaru and Crim?"

"Why not?" Mimiru said giving Lain a victory sign. "The more the better. Subaru wont ignore us now if Bear comes along. So how about it Bear? Coming?"

"I don't see why I shouldn't," Bear said looking at Mimiru with a smile and then to Lain and Tsukasa. 

"Hey what about me!?" Sora cried out more annoyed than usual. "Aren't I going to be included in this one bit?"

"Oh. Sorry. I forgot you were there," Lain said laughing nervously. "I guess you could come with us…"

Sora smirked happily at Lain and then crossed his arms over his chest.

The five then exited the field to only enter the field of Carma Gatelica. 

Well this is over….and I'm not really to sure about this one either. I mean I like wrote it over twenty times and this was the best out of them all….so tell me what you think but try not to be to harsh… next chapter will be better though. At lest I hope it will be. Umm….keep reading. And review some more. I want to know what you think and anything that would help improve my writing!!


	8. The End for One, A Beginning for Another

Disclaimer: Well I would like to just kick this off by telling Zero Tribal by saying….umm…..your cool man. Thanks for being so supportive and stuff. And too all you others out there too! Ya and It was supposed to be Carmina Gardelica. I just can't spell…and I guess I wasn't paying a lot of attention on pronunciation either…. Well also I would like to say that I screwed up with the cat and mother thing. The cats not his mom…it's that voice thingy, it's names Morgona… But oh well, since I can't change what I wrote, I'll just leave it that way, but don't take any information from this story and think it's from the series, well except for some of the characters personalities that is. I mean I did try and get those pretty accurate and all…I don't own .hack//SIGN or any of its character. All I own is my thoughts and my own original character Lain Auska X.

.hack//SIGN

Episode Seven: The End for One, A Beginning for Another

Saga: Born from Darkness

Lain stood outside of the entrance to the castle like structure in the water city of Mac Anu. She approached the Silver Knight in front of the gates to the castle structure. Tsukasa and Bear followed her closely. Mimiru and Sora were arguing over something absolutely stupid again. She sighed as she stopped right in front of the Silver Knight. 

The knight looked at her and then grunted a little.

"What do you want?" the Silver Knight asked with an annoyed tone in his voice.

"We want to talk to Lady Subaru," Bear said stepping forward. "It is very important that we talk to her soon. Right now would be best."

"Lady Subaru has no time to talk to the petty complaints of lower rank players such as yourselves," Silver Knight shot back at them with a stern look. "I suggest you leave now before I will have to place you under arrest."

"You think I care?" Lain asked stepping forward. "You're not getting in my way of exiting this game! I don't care what I have to do to talk to Subaru… but I will at any costs! You hearing me there, Silver Knight!? I don't care what you have to say! Let me talk to Subaru! Now!"

"What?! How dare you! I'm surprised you haven't learned what it is like to deal with the Crimson Knights yet!" Silver Knight yelled back frowning at her. He reached for the hilt of his sword but stopped when he saw Lain had hers already drawn and pointed at him. "Put that down. Now!"

"No. Not until I talk to Subaru! This is more important than you life!" Lain screamed at him frowning. She pulled back her sword and then got into a battle position. "I don't care if I have to fight you to get to Subaru Silver Knight! And I am warning you! I am a lot stronger than the last time we met! I will not stand here and be told of by some stupid Crimson Knight!"

"How dare you oppose a Crimson Knight!" Silver Knight hissed through his helmet. "You shall die by these words!" 

"Lets see you try and defeat me," Lain said through her gritted teeth. She watched him draw his sword and get into his own battle position. She pulled her own sword back a little past her shoulders and took a step forward. She took another to only be stopped by Tsukasa who ran right in the middle of the battle.

"Enough of this!" Tsukasa shouted out. "No fighting! Please Silver Knight! Tell Lady Subaru that we wish to speak to her! We have very important information! We have found a way for Lain to log off of the game! If she logs off then you will no longer have these differences with her!"

"What!?" Silver Knight yelled out dropping his guard. He now had his full attention on Tsukasa and was ignoring Lain.  "A way out of the game!?"

"Yes," Tsukasa said looking at the Knight pathetically. "Weren't you listening to what Lain said before!? She told you that you were getting in the way of her exiting the game!"

The Silver Knight frowned angrily at Tsukasa and then sheathed his sword. "I will talk to Subaru." He turned his back to Lain and the others and walked off inside of the castle like structure.

"That was easy," Lain replied sheathing her own sword and then shrugged. "I'd just have wished he would have realized what I said before. It would have made things a lot more easier."

"But you wanted to fight," Sora cried out looking at Lain evilly. "You wanted that fight didn't you? I saw that look in your eye. The look of death."

"Fight? Me? No way. I just wanted to get the fastest way to Subaru possible. Even if it meant through the Silver Knight," Lain replied shrugging her shoulders again. "What did you want me to do? Say 'Oh okay. I'll come back another time. I guess I can just put getting out of this game on hold for a while longer'. Yeah right! You expect me to do that!? No way! I want to get out of this game as fast as I can!"

"You're letting your temper get the best of you again," Sora said sighing. "You're acting stupid."

"Huh? Did you say something?!" Lain screamed out as her hands turned into fists. "Why did I ever think about letting some one as you come with us!?"

"Cause your stupid," Sora replied tauntingly. 

"Stupid!? I'll give you stupid!" Lain screamed out reaching for her sword to only be stopped by Mimiru shacking her.

"Get a grip on yourself Lain! You're acting strange! Are you alright?" Mimiru asked as she stopped shacking Lain, who had by now figured out she was never going to get her sword, while being shacked. 

"Strange?" Lain asked looking at Mimiru a little confused. She sighed and then backed away from Mimiru a little. "I guess it's because I'm a little impatient right now. I've found out how to get out of this game, I guess I got to caught up in that I wasn't thinking like myself. I'm sorry."

"It's alright," Mimiru said shrugging the subject off. "Hey look! Here comes Crim! Maybe he'll get us to Subaru!?"

"What?" Lain asked turning her attention from Mimiru and over to Lain. "Crim? What's he doing here?"

"Lain!" Crim called out looking at her happily. "Silver Knights been telling me that you've been giving him a tough time again. What for, may I ask?"

"Not my fault," Lain muttered to him. "He wouldn't let me talk to Subaru. I have important news for her too."

"And what would that be?" Crim asked as he stopped right in front of her.

"Tsukasa found out a way for me to log out of the game. I thought she might want to know. Since she did tell me that she would try in help me in any way she could. I thought I might ask for her help now, since she's got more power over the game than me and Tsukasa do," Lain answered now smiling at Crim. "What about you? You want to help too?"

"We don't want him helping!" Sora cried out sadly. "We have enough people in this party already! What's the use of more!?"

"Will you shut-up Sora!?" Lain called out facing him. "If you got a problem then you can leave! You've been on my nerves ever since I met you! I'm tired out listening to you complain today!"

"Oh Lain's got a huge temper!" Sora cried out with a  funny grin on his face. "Isn't that nice?!"

"Shut-up," Lain repeated. She then turned around and faced Crim and focused her full attention on him, instead of the laughing Sora. "How about it? Want to join our little party?"

"Nice offer," Crim replied smiling. "I afraid that I might have too. I mean if this has to do with you logging out of the game, then I might as well help. You've proved honorable before, so I might as well too."

"Honorable?" Lain asked looking at Crim a little confused. "Since when?"

"When you fought me. You didn't kill me," Crim replied. "Like some players out there who wouldn't give up the chance."

"Me?" Sora asked, to only be ignored by everyone.

"Great!" Lain cried out happily. "How about Subaru. Will she be coming with us also?"

"Probably," Crim replied as a grin flashed upon his face. "I don't see why  she wouldn't. I mean this has to do with the outcome of the game. Since you will be getting out… It'll be big for her. How about Tsukasa? Have you guys found a way out of the game for him?"

"I've been able to log out for a while," Tsukasa answered with a blank face. "I was the one who found a way for Lain to get out of the game."

"Congratulations then Tsukasa. That's good to hear," Crim said happily. "So Lain. How do you get out of the game? What do you have to do to log out I mean."

"I have to kill the virus," Lain replied. "That is what I have to do to log out."

"Kill the virus?" Crim asked looking at Lain a little confused and shocked. "Why would you need Subaru then? If you know what to do?"

"Well you see… We don't really know where the virus is. She's only shown herself to me once," Lain said. "So we were hoping that Subaru knew some way for us to track Mitski down."

"Is that the only way for you to get out of this game?" 

"Yes."

"Then Subaru might be of some help. But I wouldn't count on it too much. She has a limit in her abilites to what she can do."

"I figured so. I just hope she can find a way to get this virus into my view again."

"All I can do is try," a voice said from behind Crim. It was Subaru's voice. She steeped into view and then smiled at Lain. "It's nice to see you again."

"Same here," Lain replied smiling back. "So? Are you willing to help me get out of this game? Once and for all?"

"Would that mean Tsukasa would be able to exit also?" Subaru asked glancing at Tsukasa who was glaring at her, and then back over to Lain.

"He's already been able to log out for quite some time now," Crim answered for Lain and Tsukasa. "He's out, so all we have to do is worry about Lain right now."

"Is that so?" Subaru asked and then went into deep thought. She came out of it a minute latter and then sighed. "What type of assistance do you need from me Lain?"

"Since you have some sort of power over this game. I thought it would be best to come to you. Can you track players down?" Lain asked looking at Subaru. "Or more like viruses?"

"No," Subaru answered. "I am sorry. But I can't. That is out of my power. You were hoping that I would be able to track down that virus. Mitski? Right? But why though?"

"If I defeat her then I'll be able to log out," Lain replied as she lost all of her hope in Subaru. "But since you can't find her… I'm sorry to have disturbed you."

"No need for apologies," Subaru answered. "You have to reason to apologize. You have done nothing wrong. It is what I wanted for you to come and tell me if you have found out anything new."

"Yeah. I figured that would be what you want," Lain replied as a small smile spread across her face. "If you can't help us… then I guess I'll be going now. There's no reason for me to stay… I'll see you around Subaru." Lain turned her back to Subaru and then stopped in her tracks as some one called out to her. Lain turned around to see Subaru.

"Let me know if I can help in any other way!" Subaru called out to her. "Don't hesitate to ask!"

"I won't!" Lain called back smiling. "Thank you Subaru!"  Lain turned around once more and then spoke out. "Lets go back to where we were before."

Lain exited the field followed by her party. They all reappeared in the field with the docks and the grassy area that was surrounded by mountains. Lain faced them all and then saw Mimiru sigh.

"Hey Lain," Mimiru asked shifting a little un comfortably. "I…I have to go. I can't stay on any longer. I'm sorry but I have to leave."

"It's okay," Lain replied smiling at her. "It's not your fault. I'm sure that it's pretty late in Japan. So you might as well go and get some sleep or what ever you're doing. I guess I'll see you tomorrow then." She turned and saw Sora yawning and Bear looking a little un comfortable also. "Let me guess? Sora's tired and Bear has something else to do?"

"No. It's not that important," Bear muttered. "It can wait if you want."

"Hey, don't put me before your matters in the real world. I'm not that totally important, you both can go. I don't mind," Lain replied looking at them. Mimiru had already left. "I'll see you guys tomorrow along with Mimiru."

"Are you sure about this? You don't mind?" Bear asked.

"Not at all. I realize you guys have other stuff to do in your own lives. It's none of my concern though," Lain replied. "So just go already. You're going to make me feel bad."

"Bye then," Sora replied exiting the field.

Bear gave Lain a awkward glance and then sighed. He exited also. Tsukasa was the only one left for Lain's company. Crim had not followed. 

"I won't leave," Tsukasa replied looking over to Lain. "You don't have to worry about being alone."

"No. That's not it," Lain answered and then sighed. "Look Tsukasa. I know you want to stay here. But you don't have too. I mean now that you're in the real world you have to eat and sleep, and do other stuff, you know too?"

"But that stuff doesn't' matter much to me," Tsukasa answered. "I'd rather stay here with you."

"I know," Lain said and then sighed. "I…Tsukasa? I don't want you to put me before your own health."

"Why not?"

"Cause I'm not that important. You don't have to be by my side the whole time Tsukasa. You probably have other stuff to do in the real world. You don't have to stay here just to keep me company."

"Why are you pushing me away!?"

"I'm…I'm not." 

"Yes you are. You want me to leave. You don't want me here anymore."

"No! That's not what I said at all! I just don't want you to care about me more than your own health!"

"But I do! Lain, I don't want you to be alone anymore. I don't want you to end up being how I used to be. I don't like seeing you sad, I want you happy."

"I…Tsukasa… Just leave. I'll see you tomorrow alright? I need to be alone right now."

"Lain?"

"Please, just go."

"I…no."

Lain looked over to Tsukasa and then frowned. "Tsukasa. I just want to have some time to think by myself. Please! Just go now!" Lain frowned at him even more.

He looked back at her a little token back and then starred at the ground. "I don't understand what your thinking."

"Go now."

"Fine."

Tsukasa left. 

Lain starred at the empty spot, which he once stood. She held back the tears that were now starting to form in her eyes.

She had just yelled at him! She might as well just had told him she didn't want his company anymore! She was so cruel to him! When he only wanted to be there for her! To make her feel better! To make her happy, in this miserable little world she lived in! And she had pushed him away, like he had told her she was doing. Why was she acting like this? Was she scared? Scared of the feelings she had for him. She wasn't the same anymore. Somehow…she seemed different.

"I…Tsukasa…I'm sorry," Lain muttered to herself softly and then fell to her knees. "I'm sorry that I was so mean to you! I didn't mean it! I don't know what's wrong with me! I don't know what's going on anymore! I don't know how I fell! I don't even know how I feel about you anymore… I'm so confused. Why is this happening to me?"

"You are dying," a voice said from behind Lain. "You are about to die in your bed. In that coma you are in."

"WHAT!?" Lain screamed out spinning around. She saw the virus Mitski behind her. "I…what are you saying."

"You've been in that coma for so long. Your parents don't care what they do to you now. Your death will be soon. Never to see you're beloved Tsukasa again. Death is near to you. And this time. You won't wake up."

"I'm…I'm… shut-up! You don't know what your saying! I'm going to kill you and get out of this game!" Lain screamed out as she stood up. She grabbed her sword that was in her sheath and then pointed it at the virus threateningly. "I'm going to kill you and put a stop to this mess that I am in! You're dying! NOW!"

"But they question is… do you know what you are saying? How can you think that you have a chance of beating a player such as me? To think of my death would be absurd. Do you realize that I am far beyond your league?"

"Will you just shut-up!? I don't care what you have to say to me! All I know is that I will have to try and kill you! If I do die  like you are saying… I will have at least tried to defeat you! And that's all that really matters to me now!"

"Then your death will be in vain."

Mitski smiled at Lain and then held out her hand at her side. A mage staff appeared in it. She then pointed at Lain threateningly as Lain was doing to her.

"You didn't think I would fight unarmed did you?"

"Course not," Lain replied as her voice shock a little. "That would be crazy."

"I see fear," Mitski hissed looking at Lain with an evil smile. "Lain is scared of a little virus such as myself?"

"NO I'M NOT!" Lain screamed out as she forgot her fear. She charged at the virus with her sword at her side. She swung it forward at the virus, but only managed to hit her weapon, which she flung up in the quickest movements that Lain had seen her whole life.

"YOU WILL DIE!" Lain screamed out pushing her weapon forward with all of her might. "I WILL KILL YOU AND GET OUT OF THIS REATCHED GAME! I WILL BE WITH TSUKASA AGAIN! YOU CAN'T STOP ME!"

"Love is such a stupid emotion," Mitski replied shoving Lain forward with a quick push. Lain fell down instantly. She saw an opening and then swung her staff down at the helpless swordsman. It hit the sword, which Lain had flung up at the last moment to block.

"It seems that you aren't that weak after all."

Tsukasa looked down at his hands, which he had just rested in his lap. His computer was on and was giving off the only light in the room still. A chime sound came from the computer, as if it had finished downloading something. He looked up to see the message boards for the game he had just exited out of not to long ago. 

He put his hand up to the mouse and then began to scroll down the message boards, as if looking for something interesting. Another chime was heard, a new box popped up in front of what he was looking at. He looked at it a little confused and then read what it wrote.

I SEE DEATH.

Tsukasa looked at it even more confused and then noticed it was a chat box. He clicked on the screen and then typed in a reply.

Whose death?

THE CHILD WHO HAS THE HEART BORN FROM DARKNESS.

I don't understand. How can a human have a heart born from darkness?

SHE IS COVERED IN SORROW. HEADING DOWN THE ROAD TO DARKNES. HAVING NO REALIZATION OF LOVE.

She!? Lain! Are you talking about Lain!

The box closed and Tsukasa got no answer. He frowned at the leaving of the unknown messenger. Why had it left? Why didn't it answer his question? More importantly…what the hell was going on!?

His thoughts wondered to what had happened today. Lain. Why had she yelled at him? His hand's twitched at the thought. They formed into fists, soon he was beginning to clutch so hard that he knuckles were turning white. He closed his eyes and then leaned back in his chair. 

What did I do to make her so mad? I didn't do anything, she exploded, for no reason. Does she even like me anymore? Was she just playing around with my emotions? But why does she try and hide her feelings? Doesn't she know that I won't hurt her like her parents did? Doesn't she know that I'm there for her? Always? Lain, why are you doing this to me? It hurts so much. Why did you have to yell at me? You know I can't go on living without you. You're everything to me. You mean more than my life as it is. I would do anything for you, now that you're mad at me… I don't know if I can go on living anymore. This hurts so much…as if I was going to die. Right here, I can't take this. Lain, why do you have to be mad at me!?

Tsukasa shot up from his leaning back position and then frowned. He had to confront her. Even if it meant doing the opposite of what she had asked him to do. 'Leave me alone.' Ha. Like he would do that. He needed her to keep on living, and she needed him just as much.

He frowned some more at the thoughts that were racing through his head and then picked up his simulation goggles and started the game. It only took him a few moments to log onto the game, he was now standing at the docks.

Lain gasped for air. It had been a horrible fight with her and Mitski. She was of course losing terribly. Mitski had managed to get Lain's only weapon, her sword, out of her hands. It was now lying a few inches from where her hand was trying to reach for it. Mitski was kneeling over Lain with her hands tightly clasped around her throat. Lain choked for air once more and managed not to get any. She shoke her head and tried to move her feet, but found it impossible. 

Mitski was going to win. Lain was going to die in the real world. Die here. Never to see anyone…Tsukasa…never, never again. She would be dying alone, as she had been living in a world of her own alone. 

"No-I-can't-die-like-this," Lain managed to choke out with her remaining air in her lungs. She choked once more and then noticed everything was starting to get fuzzy, blurry. She couldn't make out anything, nothing at all.

This is death. I am dying here. It can't be happening like this! I was supposed to win and live with Tsukasa in our World! It's not supposed to end like this! Tsukasa! You don't know how I feel about you! I never told you! And I yelled at you the last time I saw you! Maybe I do deserve to die like this…after what I did to Tsukasa. He was only trying to help me. He was just proving to me how much he cared for me. And I shoved him away. Maybe I do deserve to die. Dying like this…might be right…

Everything was starting to go blank. Memories from her life seemed to be passing before her very eyes. Something was happening. What was that scream? And why was it so near?

Her vision came back shortly. Mitski had let go of her throat. She was now had one of her arms on the left side of her shoulder. Her hand was clutching her chest, the look of pain spread across her face. Blood was dripping through the cracks in Mitski's hand, falling onto Lain.

Lain looked up amazed. What had happened? Why was Mitski bleeding like this!? Was she going to die! How!? She hadn't done anything! She was almost dead herself. Lain took in a huge breath and then choked again. She then went over to breathing slowly. Letting every breath go in and out smoothly. She closed her eyes and then absorbed more screams. She didn't dare open her eyes. She could tell Mitski was dying. Dying right over her, she didn't want to see this. It wasn't supposed to end this was for Mitski either. She was supposed to die by Lain's hands, not by something else. 

Mitski was dead.

Yeah! Sorry it took so long for this chapter to get up! I was sort of writing lots of other stuff. I need a break from this one, or it would have turned out horrible. Well thought I might say that this fic is coming to an end. Sorry. I have only one more chapter to post. And it will be coming up soon. Hopefully by the end of the month. Well stay tuned for an ending, keep reading and reviewing!


	9. Shinjuku Square

Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah. This one did come out sooner than I thought. Sorry if it's too short for ya. But then again this is the last chapter to the story. Thank you all for reading and keeping me going! I do not own .hack//SIGN or any of its characters. All I own in the plot and my own original Character Lain Auska X.

.hack//SIGN

Episode Eight: Shinjuku Square

Saga: Born from Darkness

Lain gritted her teeth and tried to shut her eyes tighter. Mitski's screams still rang through her head, even though she had been dead for a good few minutes now.

But what had done that? What could have been so cruel as to kill her that way? Did she want to find out what had done it? If she did would it be someone she knew, or was this player going to be after her? Did it want  her dead also?

Foot steeps started walking towards her. She gulped, she could hear ever steep with an immense amount of fear. Did she dare open her eyes to find out who was coming? No. She would rather die not knowing her killer, at least this way, she wouldn't be as scared. 

The person stopped walking, it was now at her side.

"Open your eyes," a familiar voice said bending over and then poked her in the face. "What are you so scared of?"

"T-T-Tsukasa!?" Lain cried out as her eyes shot open. "What are you doing here!?"

"I decided to come back," Tsukasa answered straightening up. "I didn't really want to listen to what you told me before."

"I-I-I sorry about that," Lain replied looking at him as tears started to form in her eyes. She turned her head down so she was looking at her lap as she sat up. "I d-d-didn't mean to yell at you. I-I'm sorry!"

"It's okay," Tsukasa replied as he sat down on his knees. "I know you didn't mean to yell at me. I guess you were a little confused with your emotions and wanted to be left alone. I'd do the same if I was in your position."

"How did you know?" Lain asked still looking down at her lap. "How did you know how I was feeling?"

"It's easy to tell," Tsukasa said as he leaned back on his hands. "Like I've told you before. I used to be like you. Depressed, unhappy, what ever you want to call it. I never looked at the bright side of things. I always thought everything was going to go downhill for me, nothing good to ever cross into my life. But I guess I was wrong. Things did start to brighten up when I met you. Nothing seemed so impossible anymore."

"You mean I changed everything for you?" Lain asked as tears started to roll down her face and then hit her gloved hands. "I changed the way you thought, how you acted?"

"Yeah, of course you did," Tsukasa replied glancing at her and then sighed. "Don't cry. You have nothing to cry about. Everything's good again. Mitski is dead and you can log off now."

"You killed her?" Lain asked choking back more tears. "You killed her like that?"

"Yeah. I had too, if I didn't then she would have straggled you," Tsukasa said now focusing his full attention on Lain. "Lain. I wasn't about to let her kill you. I couldn't do that!"

"But you…" Lain begun and then paused. "I…uh…thank you Tsukasa. I guess I would have died if you hadn't have shown up. You've saved my life twice. And I've done nothing to repay you."

"Your company is enough for me," Tsukasa said smiling. "I don't need anything more. I'm happy just being at your side."

"But I pushed you away. I forced you to leave the game. I-I-I was so mean to you."

"Hey. I already told you. It wasn't your fault. Your emotions were confused. You needed time to think and I wasn't really giving you any. So you told me to leave the game."

"But I shouldn't have. If you had stayed longer than I wouldn't have ended up in almost dead. So this is my entire fault. Everything that has happened to me in this past half hour is all my fault."

"Don't say that. It's not all your fault, stop blaming stuff on yourself, because it's not all your fault. It's as good as mine too." 

"Why are you taking the blame for me?"

"Just shut-up," Tsukasa snapped at her. "I don't want to talk about that anymore. I'm tired of listening to you put yourself down. Stop blaming everything on yourself, it's not always your fault!"

Lain snapped her attention from her lap and over to Tsukasa. She had stopped crying and was now looking at him extremely shocked and confused.

"Lain. Come on. Were leaving now. You can exit the game and so can I. That's all we need right?"

"What if I don't want to?"

"What are you talking about? You wanted to exit the game before. So we could be together in the real World, right? Isn't that what you wanted."

"I don't know. I don't know what to think! You're mad at me, so I don't know if I really should go back. I don't want to be back in that hospital anymore! I don't want anything to do with my family! I hate it there! Tsukasa! You can't expect me to want to go back to the World that I hate so much!"

"But I'm going to be there with you. I'll always be there by you side, no matter what. You can't expect me to abandon you now. You mean to much for me."

"Well you should. I'm being so selfish now."

Lain stood up and then turned her back on Tsukasa. She begun to walk away, she made it only a few steeps before she was jerked back. She was then flipped around so she was facing Tsukasa once again.

"I'm not letting you go Lain. I'm not going to let you get away again. Lain…I-I love you!"

Lain looked at him shocked again. She didn't know what to say. She knew he cared for her greatly, but love? How could anyone love her? She was so self-centered. And after what she had just done to Tsukasa? How could he tell her that he loved her?

"I don't want to see you hurt anymore. I love you Lain. And nothing is going to change that. I've always loved you, ever since I got to know you. You're the reason why I keep on living. Without you then I'd be nothing. Just a waste of skin, flesh and life. You mean everything to me. I couldn't live without you."

Lain didn't answer him. She just starred at him blankly. No one had ever said anything that slightly resembled to what he was talking about. No one had truly ever loved her. 

Tsukasa grabbed her other hand in his and then pulled her forward. He wrapped his arms around her back and then tilted his head down so his eyes were center with hers. He moved his face forward and their lips touched.

Her eyes got bigger as he had done this, more tears rolled down her face. He pulled away a few seconds latter. 

"Don't cry."

"I-Tsukasa!" 

Lain basicly jumped onto him. She had her arms wrapped around him tightly and was crying on his shoulder.

He removed on of his hands her back and then rested it on her head and rocked her back and forth a little, as if she were a baby.

"It's alright. I don't really know how you're feeling right now, but I'll be there by your side through all of this. Because I care for you Lain. I'll love you until the World dies and there is nothing left."

Lain pulled away from Tsukasa and then looked him straight in the eye. She smiled and their lips met once more. Lain pulled away from Tsukasa and smiled at him softly.

"I love you too. I've decided on how I feel now. I love you Tsukasa!"

Lain latched onto him once again and he did the same.

"Alright! Score one for Mr. and Mrs. Fujamiya!" a voice called out throwing his hand into a fist and then up in the air. "I was wondering when you two would actually come out and say your true feelings! You're both head over heels for each other!"

The two pulled away from each other and nearly screamed out. Mimiru, Bear, Crim, Subaru, and Sora were standing in a line in front of the steeps that lead down to the docks. They all seemed to be smiling at the two of them.

"I…uh…how long were you all standing there!?" Lain screamed out going red in the face.

"Long enough," Sora replied rolling his eyes. "Too long actually for me. I don't want to see all this mushy crap!"

Crim laughed at what Sora had said and then gave Lain a thumbs up sign. "Now that you two are finally together! It means you'll be together in the real World also! It's nice to know that you two won't be alone anymore!"

"I…uh," Tsukasa said blinking and then went red along with Lain. He steeped back and then gulped. "C-c-come on Lain! Let's go!" Tsukasa grabbed Lain's left hand in a quick movement and then took off running to the nearest Chaos Gate.

"Hey!" Bear cried out.

"We'll meet you at Shinjuku Square!" Mimiru screamed out waving at them. "In ten minutes! Until then you two love birds!" Mimiru laughed along with the others and then exited the field. 

Lain shot up from the bed she was lying in. Her she looked around the room, she was in the hospital. Were Sora had told her she would be. She sat up and then scooted over to the side of her bed. She put her feet on the ground and then stood up. She smiled at the thought of waking from the horrible game. She walked towards the door and then opened it.  She steeped out of the room and then started to walk down the hallway. 

"Miss!" someone yelled out. "Miss! Please wait! You can't leave!"

"I…uh?" Lain turned around and then faced the Doctor that was running at her. "Yes."

The doctor stopped in front of her and then looked at her with huge eyes. "Lain X?"

"How did you know my name?" Lain asked looking at the Doctor confused. She then walked back to her room followed by the Doctor. 

"Tsukasa Fujamiya. He woke from his coma and the first thing he did was go into your room to see if you had awoken also," the Doctor replied.  

"I'm sorry but I'm in sort of a hurry," Lain replied. "I'm supposed to met my friends in Shinjuku Square in ten minutes. I really have to go now."

"You haven't signed you papers," the doctor replied. "If you hold on a minute I'll go and get them."

"Okay," Lain replied as the man left the room. She was alone again. She looked around the room and then noticed a pair of clothes over in a chair in the corner of the room. She walked over to them. She picked up the plain long sleeve white shirt. She put it on and then put on the black short sleeve one. Next was her dark blue cargo pants. She put on her long white socks and then her black boots.

She walked over to her bed and then sat down. The clock on the wall said it was ten minutes after six. She sighed and then stood up again. If she didn't leave now she would be late. Or was she already late?

Lain walked over to the door and then threw it open. She steeped out and then made her way down the hallway. The doctor she had been talking to before had her paperwork and was heading back towards where her room was. She then began to pick up pace until she was at a run. She knocked down the doctor and then charged through the hallway. 

A few minutes latter she burst out of the hospital's front door. She looked around wildly, the street she was on was called Blossom Street. She grinned and then remembered, that Shinjuku Square was only a few streets away. She ran down the sidewalk and crossed the street.

She arrived in Shinjuku Square breathing heavily. She had pushed herself to her limits running down here. She looked around and only saw people passing through the Square. Not a lot of people seemed to be standing around. She looked over to one group of six people. They all seemed to be starring at her as if they were trying to recognize her. 

"Lain!" the white haired boy called out to her waving her over. "Come over here Lain!"

Lain looked at him a little confused and then walked over. It was Tsukasa. He was the one who was calling out to her.

"Tsukasa!" Lain called out happily. She finished her walk over to the group at a run. As soon as she had made it over she latched onto him with a hug. "I'm here Tsukasa! In the Real World! To be with you forever!"

Yeah, yeah… I know this was sort of short, and I'm sorry about it. I didn't want to make it to long because it would be kind of pointless, since Lain is out of 'The World', and all… Well I hope you enjoyed this story while it lasted. Ended a little shorter than I thought it would have though… Well I would still like you too review though. Tell me what you think. Oh and I will be doing another .hack//SIGN fic. So stay tuned if you want to read that one. It's going to be a sort of sequel to this one! Sort of… in a way…


	10. Authors Note

Authors Note

Yeah, yeah, I know this isn't a chapter and all… I just thought that I might inform you guys on some stuff that's all… I will be writing the sequel to this fic soon… but I don't know when I will post it up… Cause I will have a little trouble writing to how I want it and such… But right now I'm sort of busy with School and such so it will be a little longer. But to you people out there who are like so cool and such… I am asking if you like really, really want a character to be used in my fic send me their name, weapon, and some background info on them and such… Well until a while people! See ya till then people!

Lain Mikado…


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